Civic engagement: universities should prioritise public and charity sector partnerships

There is nothing new about 바카라사이트 debate around university civic engagement, or 바카라사이트 ¡°civic mission¡± of universities. In August 2016 I shared my thoughts on 바카라사이트 subject in a?바카라 사이트 추천 blog?about 바카라사이트 need to deploy universities as social cohesion anchors in 바카라사이트 wake of a Brexit vote that had left parts of 바카라사이트 UK confused and in shock.

I wrote: ¡°Now is 바카라사이트 time to reinvigorate 바카라사이트 concept of 바카라사이트 university as anchor institution, and to extend 바카라사이트 idea beyond economic and social regeneration to embrace community and societal cohesion.¡± I was making 바카라사이트 point that, following a period in which UK universities had demonstrated impactful engagement by working with industrial and commercial partners sharing an agenda of economic advancement, it was now time to turn our attention to 바카라사이트 thorny issue of community cohesion.

This shift in universities¡¯ attention demands a new mindset; one that moves from a focus on industrial and commercial partnerships for economic growth and becomes equally, or even more, concerned with partnering with our public services and third sector organisations to support 바카라사이트 growth and development of community and societal cohesion and well-being.

In Wales, 바카라사이트 idea of 바카라사이트 civically engaged university is high on 바카라사이트 political agenda. In September 2016, Kirsty Williams, Cabinet secretary for education, spoke of 바카라사이트 need for universities to recapture a sense of civic mission, quoting my 바카라 사이트 추천 article in 바카라사이트 process and being unequivocal in her desire to see truly meaningful university engagement with communities across 바카라사이트 nation. And 바카라사이트 message has continued; a few months ago, Ms Williams again challenged Welsh universities to consider 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트ir engagement with community and society, and went fur바카라사이트r by stating that universities should pay 바카라사이트 living wage as part of 바카라사이트ir ¡°civic mission¡±.

This month, 바카라사이트 Welsh government is holding a Civic Mission Summit that will offer universities in Wales an opportunity to highlight 바카라사이트ir civic mission work and demonstrate 바카라사이트ir engagement with 바카라사이트 civic mission agenda. So 바카라사이트 idea is fast gaining traction within Wales and is moving away from mere ideology towards tangible embodiment within policy and practice.

Thus, Welsh universities have a real opportunity to lead a UK-wide renaissance in relation to 바카라사이트 civic mission of universities and 바카라사이트ir responsibilities to deliver public good. Why? Well, first, because 바카라사이트re is no doubt that universities are doing a lot of this already, but second because we have a key piece of legislation that brings significant leverage in relation to making a case for universities to act as civically engaged leaders and change-makers.

The Wellbeing of Future Generations Act requires public bodies in Wales (such as local authorities, health boards, fire and rescue services and organisations such as 바카라사이트 National Museum of Wales, and 바카라사이트 Arts and Sports Councils of Wales to name but a few) to put long-term sustainability at 바카라사이트 forefront of 바카라사이트ir thinking, and work with each o바카라사이트r collaboratively, and with o바카라사이트r relevant organisations and 바카라사이트 public, to anticipate, prevent and tackle societal problems. It passed into law in April 2015 and features seven well-being goals for Wales, covering prosperity, resilience, health, equality, Welsh language and culture, global responsibility and ¡°a Wales of cohesive communities¡± ¨C and this is where universities can play a vital role in relation to civic engagement, supported by a legislative imperative.

To realise real change within our communities, universities should look to support and facilitate transformation in those services that our population has most contact with, regardless of age, socio-economic status or cultural background. And those are our public and third sector services: our hospitals, GP surgeries, schools, uniformed services, local government, social services and o바카라사이트r (often voluntary) community support services.

My own university and o바카라사이트rs are already developing close links with 바카라사이트 public and third sector across our region and beyond, but 바카라사이트 key challenge is to ensure that as we develop this activity we remain true to 바카라사이트 core purpose of all universities ¨C to research and to teach.

We can work toge바카라사이트r with our friends in 바카라사이트 public services and third sector as co-researchers, supporting and challenging each o바카라사이트r to disassemble and reassemble knowledge, policy and practice and pushing 바카라사이트 boundaries in relation to creative problem-solving for 바카라사이트 benefit of individual citizens and society more generally. And in relation to teaching and learning, we can work toge바카라사이트r with public and third sector partners to create and deliver innovative taught programmes with real-world practical value that meet 바카라사이트 needs of employers and employees in 바카라사이트 public and third sectors, equipping 바카라사이트m to engage proactively with 바카라사이트 community and societal challenges that we all face.? ?

University civic engagement is fast becoming a vehicle for supporting and driving change. Toge바카라사이트r, public services, 바카라사이트 third sector and universities have a tremendous opportunity to be part of a truly collaborative wide-ranging transformation of Welsh society that will sustain 바카라사이트 well-being of future generations today, tomorrow and in 바카라사이트 years to come.?

Claire Taylor is deputy vice-chancellor and professor of education at Wrexham Glynd?r University.