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Australian Universities as Sites of Citizenship (Victoria) is a recent survey of university-community engagement partnerships in Victoria funded by the Victorian Department of Education and Training. The survey demonstrates the following critical points.
- The recent history of university-community engagement initiatives in Victoria highlights the importance of community engagement partnerships (i) in defining university identity; ii) as a foundation stone for high quality teaching and research; iii) in delivering social and economic benefits to local and regional communities and iv) in providing the essential social and physical infrastructure for thriving, sustainable cities and regions.
- The educational, social and economic benefits to universities and to regional communities of strong university-community engagement partnerships are however at risk because of the deepening Commonwealth Government focus on competitiveness, commercialisation and funding cutbacks as the key drivers of higher education policy.
- There is an urgent need for the current national debate on the purpose of Australian universities to include their role in working with and for local, regional, national and international communities. This debate needs to be informed by broader research on the current and potential benefits of building strong partnerships between universities and their local and regional communities.
The project developed out of international interest in two areas. First, there is a perceived need to address a civic deficit, particularly among young people. Second, there is a requirement to spark national interest in developing the capacity of universities to contribute to regional and community wellbeing in economic, social and cultural terms.
Effective community engagement requires deliberate, considered and mutually determined collaborations between communities, governments, scholars, students and administrative staff. It cannot occur without democratic principles of participation, consultation and accountability. Good collaborative practices must be exhibited at all levels of university governance, teaching, research and community engagement.
In line with this, the study documents that a wide range of engagement strategies which aim for social justice and equity agendas already exist within Victorian university missions and policies. These strategies include participatory and representative mechanisms, leverage for regional and community development, and partnerships that benefit university status and graduate outcomes. Mechanisms that facilitate consultation and representation are also well established in Victorian universities. Although not overtly discussed in the reports of individual universities, the challenge is to ensure that representation and consultation are linked to actual impact in terms of university activity.
Industry, business and other forms of partnership are important to all universities under study, particularly those with a vocational and technical background, and all are seeking to build and further such relationships. These industry links are also incorporated in teaching and learning and research, Courses that involve industry or work placements, internships, professional practice or exchange programs as part of their curriculum are becoming increasingly important, not only as a form of professional training but as part of a process that produces graduates sensitive to different social contexts. Additionally, research centres provide an organisational and therefore functional emphasis on community engagement within an institution.
Community engagement requires substantial resources, in terms of both time and money. It is often regarded as secondary to competitive research grants, and thus requires an involved juggling act that balances academic requirements and income generation with engagement strategies. Given that current funding models are normally for a set period of time, projects tended to be contained and necessarily restricted in scope and with immediate outcomes. Projects that entail community engagement are often long term commitments with outcomes that are not always instantly apparent.
The report highlights the impact of context and history on university-community engagement strategies and practices. Written during a period of debate and reform in Australian higher education policy, the report not only gives an overview of the role of community engagement in Victorian universities, but also discusses community engagement in wider policy terms. It is important to consider the impact that an altered higher education policy environment will have on current community engagement strategies and practices. While the study outlines the importance of engagement strategies, the educational, social and economic benefits to universities and to regional communities of strong university-community engagement partnerships are at risk because of the deepening Commonwealth Government focus on competitiveness, commercialisation and funding cutbacks as the key drivers of higher education policy.
Other contextual factors, including the requirement that universities be more entrepreneurial, the internationalisation of education, and the increased importance of the region, further impact upon the nature of university-community engagement. A changed and changing function of Australian higher education is reflected in partnership strategies which seek to address, and adapt to, altered policy and economic frameworks.
In this climate, a paradox has emerged. The increased reliance on external forms of funding may lead to the university being less regionally focused. One of the greatest challenges is to maintain a balance between local community engagement and wider markets in education and research. The report underscores the need for the current debate to examine how Australian universities are engaging with their multiple communities. It is essential that this debate include looking at the role in working with and for local, regional, national and international. As well, it must be informed by broader research on the current and potential benefits of building and maintaining strong partnerships between them.
The Australian Universities as Sites of Citizenship (Victoria) study was undertaken for the Department of Education and Training (Victoria) to produce:
- a desktop audit and analysis of current Victorian university teaching, research and related partnership initiatives working with communities and industries, and with public, private and community sector organisations;
- an initial overview of key community and industry expectations regarding Victorian universities engagement with their regions. This overview is informed by evidence from individual interviews with key stakeholders;
- a preliminary outline of strategies that could assist universities to meet the regional expectations and challenges identified; and
- a discussion of some of the broader lessons from Victorian university communities and regional engagement experiences.
This report gives an overview of community engagement principles and strategies in Victorian universities, and discusses various organisational, social and policy factors that influence the efficacy of community engagement. It also makes recommendations for the Victorian Government to work in collaboration with Victorian universities, to support engagement strategies and further research into the role of community engagement in current higher education policy directions. Individual reports on each university’s community engagement activities may be found electronically on the Victorian Department of Education and Training’s website at http://www.highered.vic.gov.au/.
The Project Team
The project team included:
- Alexandra Winter
- John Wiseman
- Bruce Muirhead
- Anne Badenhorst
- David Birch
- Catherine Burnheim
- Brian Galligan
- Ann Gervasoni
- David Jones
- Anne Langworthy
- John McDonald
- Winsome Roberts
- Maureen Rogers
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The Final Report:
Beyond Rhetoric:
University-Community
Engagement in Victoria
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Funding Partner:
Victoria State Department of
Education and the Arts
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