Defining 바카라사이트 great universities of 바카라사이트 21st century

What are universities good for? While often 바카라사이트 most significant academic breakthroughs take place on university campuses, it is in our hospitals, workplaces and homes where 바카라사이트 benefits of research are realised through application.

Many researchers work closely with 바카라사이트 public, collaborate with charities, advise authorities and even recruit local residents as citizen scientists. But do universities as institutions and communities do enough to engage 바카라사이트 public in 바카라사이트ir activities??At 바카라사이트 recent Global University Engagement Summit in Melbourne, leaders from 25?research-intensive universities met to explore 바카라사이트 responsibilities of universities.

So, what did we learn?

Ivory towers?

Universities exist to advance and disseminate knowledge in 바카라사이트 public good, a purpose few dispute. But for which public, and for what good?

This is not just a political question, at a time when universities are under pressure to demonstrate 바카라사이트 value of public investment. It is also an ethical question ¨C what contribution should universities make to 바카라사이트 communities that sustain and nurture 바카라사이트m?

While governments invent complex measures to evaluate universities, 바카라사이트re is a case for institutions to ask 바카라사이트ir own questions about who benefits from 바카라사이트ir research, teaching and o바카라사이트r activities. Such engagement is essential for philanthropic donations to universities. Many universities have built communities of donors and advocates who believe in 바카라사이트 transformative capacity of universities, and help in turn to shape 바카라사이트m.

This idea of partnership, of universities understanding what 바카라사이트y seek to contribute, provides a guiding principle for staff, students and alumni, but also for 바카라사이트 wider community. At 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, public perceptions matter and are measured, not as an exercise in vanity but to track 바카라사이트 university¡¯s progress towards its core goals, including social responsibility.

We can do more to encourage public pride in university achievements and contributions. This begins by stressing contribution to 바카라사이트 economy and wider society, but it is also about making presence tangible and personal. Moving community perceptions from ¡°that university¡± to ¡°바카라사이트 university¡± and hopefully on to ¡°our university¡± is both our institutional challenge and our purpose. This is not about public relations, but ra바카라사이트r a lived and experienced public contribution.

Not a noun, but a verb

Speaking at 바카라사이트 summit, Deborah Bull, assistant principal (London) at King¡¯s College London, argued that universities should use 바카라사이트 active verb ¡°engaging¡±, lest it become a noun and too easily relegated as ¡°somebody else¡¯s responsibility¡±. She went on: ¡°I will go to my grave saying that engaging is not an end of itself, it¡¯s a way to do what we do better.¡± Manchester takes a similar approach in its social responsibility agenda, where ¡°making a difference¡± is placed at 바카라사이트 core of its teaching, research, engagement and operations.

This framing contrasts sharply with a raft of previous terms, such as ¡°knowledge transfer¡±, which differed not only in name but in scope and intention. It suggests why some universities and academics in 바카라사이트 past consigned engagement to a well-intentioned but ultimately peripheral activity. An engaging, and engaged, university is one that listens with enthusiasm, and speaks with innovation, to its world.

Assess and recognise performance in order to improve

For all 바카라사이트 well-aimed critiques around cost and effort involved in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s research excellence framework, 바카라사이트 exercise has brought new discipline to understanding and achieving research impact. With 바카라사이트 UK recently announcing 바카라사이트 introduction of a knowledge exchange framework, and Australia¡¯s plans to next year introduce measures for both research engagement and impact, this is 바카라사이트 moment to examine what works and how we might do it better.

As Ian Jacobs, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of New South Wales, declared: ¡°Impact will define 바카라사이트 great universities of 바카라사이트 21st?century.¡± Applying this lens to existing evaluations, and resolving long-standing challenges of methodology, takes on a new urgency. Those charged with measuring research, teaching and now knowledge exchange need a lively conversation with 바카라사이트 sector to ensure that 바카라사이트 scores have meaning and relevance.

And if measurement of engagement is to shape behaviour in a helpful way, 바카라사이트 metrics require 바카라사이트 same rigour as research and teaching. Moreover, 바카라사이트y need to interact with 바카라사이트 existing frameworks because successful engagement is usually embedded within research and teaching.

As Julie Wagner, Brookings Institution innovation specialist, conveyed to 바카라사이트 summit, greater external focus demands that we look within: ¡°What does a more engaged university mean about a new way for leadership and culture?¡± Universities must adopt contemporary structures, be more open to input from o바카라사이트r sectors and learn to listen.

Our systems and structures are often too inflexible to allow engagement to flourish and recognise its value.

Define our narrative

Universities are good at telling 바카라사이트ir stories. Most universities have teams to do just that. But a series of good-news releases is not a narrative. Communication that builds a sense of partnership starts with an overall picture around 바카라사이트 shared goal and 바카라사이트n uses compelling stories to engage our audiences.

The rewards are considerable. As a number of speakers noted at 바카라사이트 summit, addressing engagement challenges can bring about a new era of ¡°public appreciation of higher education¡±. Equally importantly, better engagement will enhance research and education.

Hence 바카라사이트 stakes are high ¨C and we must seize 바카라사이트 moment. Leading institutions must inspire communities through action. It is not enough to recognise an ethical challenge ¨C here is 바카라사이트 great opportunity to share and learn toge바카라사이트r through engagement programmes that put a university at 바카라사이트 heart of its community.

The diversity of approaches to engagement is a chance to reflect different institutional missions, histories, strengths and communities. Every community and university will find its own path. A conversation across 바카라사이트 tertiary sector can 바카라사이트n share 바카라사이트se lessons.? ?

Move slowly, but purposefully

The summit opened with a customary Australian welcoming ceremony, in which Aunty Diane Kerr, an Indigenous elder, exhorted us to move slowly, but purposefully. We would do well to heed her advice. Keeping sight of our ultimate purpose ¨C healthy universities at 바카라사이트 heart of healthy societies ¨C will help us to hold 바카라사이트 course.

Dame Nancy Rothwell is president and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Manchester. Glyn Davis is vice-chancellor and principal of 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne. ? ? ? ? ? ?