Aim and background Partnerships are a fundamental building block of successful change and educational reform. For this reason, in this paper, we explore educational partnerships in different contexts: between schools and universities; between teachers and academic researchers; and between teachers and students. Based on (action research) projects carried out in several countries we focus on the various dialogue processes in these partnerships and on successful ways to foster them. Research questions addressed in the paper What forms of dialogue can serve as tools to enable, constrain or foster partnerships? What do the various partners learn from and about each other in dialogue processes? How are the practices of different partners formed and reformed through dialogue? What kinds of self-dialogue and reflection does the researcher need to facilitate the dialogue and learning of others towards sustainable partnerships? Theory and methodology The paper is based on an re-analysis of mostly qualitative data from separate projects using a narrative approach. We draw on recognition theory (e.g. Ricoeur, 2005; Honneth, 2012) to explore characteristics of the various partnerships and the roles of the participants. The theory of practice architectures (Kemmis & Grootenboer, 2008) aims to explain how social and educational practices are constituted in relation to the particular arrangements that support them. This theory helps us to describe and understand the way partnerships are dependent on and shaped by communicative spaces. Moreover, it frames the way we look at changes and reforms in educational practice due to dialogue in partnerships. References Honneth, A. (2012). The I in We: Studies in the Theory of Recognition (transl. Joseph Ganal), Cambridge: Polity. Kemmis, S. & Grootenboer, P. (2008). Situating praxis in practice. Chapter 3 in S. Kemmis & T.J. Smith (eds.) Enabling Praxis: Challenges for education. Rotterdam: Sense. Ricoeur, P. (2005). The Course of Recognition (trans. David Pellauer). Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard UP.