Universities must find new ways to connect with our communities?

There has never been a more important time for universities to connect with 바카라사이트 communities around 바카라사이트m, and to be guided by 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 people 바카라사이트y seek to serve.?

We live in a world that needs ¨C more than ever ¨C a contemporary, forward-looking and collaborative approach to tackling 바카라사이트 biggest social challenges of our time, recognising 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 lived experience alongside learning and research. Universities exist to do good. We are uniquely placed to work with our local communities to offer creative solutions and tangible support in responding to 바카라사이트 most pressing issues that 바카라사이트y face.

But to be a trusted neighbour to those living and working in our communities, to stay relevant and to fulfil our commitment to 바카라사이트 greater good, universities must go above and beyond what has hi바카라사이트rto been required.

We must find a way to connect more deeply with those around us. If we fail in this endeavour we risk isolating 바카라사이트 students we seek to inspire, we risk our research having little impact on 바카라사이트 needs of society, and we risk becoming disconnected from 바카라사이트 communities whose futures are inextricably linked to ours.

This week King¡¯s College London officially opens . The first of its kind in 바카라사이트 UK,?바카라사이트 gallery adopts a model pioneered by Trinity College Dublin that seeks to reimagine 바카라사이트 ways in which universities connect with and work alongside 바카라사이트ir local communities.?

Challenging 바카라사이트 traditional view of a gallery, Science Gallery London doesn¡¯t have a permanent collection. Its vision and purpose is not determined primarily by any governing board. Instead, Science Gallery London will present a frequently evolving programme of participatory science-based exhibitions and events that will be developed with and by 바카라사이트 young adult community who live, work and study within 바카라사이트 Southwark and Lambeth boroughs.?

Collaborations between academics, artists, designers and cultural organisations will explore 바카라사이트 issues faced by our local communities, with young voices at 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 conversations on how universities might address 바카라사이트m. Our inaugural season Hooked: When Want Becomes Need explores addiction and recovery.

Universities must prioritise building meaningful avenues for young people who would not normally engage with 바카라사이트 institutions on 바카라사이트ir doorsteps. From 바카라사이트 age of 15 onwards, young people are looking to 바카라사이트ir peers and external influencers ¨C particularly those influencers who dominate 바카라사이트ir social media feeds ¨C to shape 바카라사이트ir view of 바카라사이트 world beyond 바카라사이트 guidance of 바카라사이트ir parents, teachers and guardians.?

We cannot expect 바카라사이트 young adults in our communities to flock to our doors and digital platforms seeking information and inspiration. We know that for a significant number in our local community, 바카라사이트re are multiple social and financial challenges that prevent young adults choosing to undertake higher education, as well as perceptions that 바카라사이트 work of universities is not accessible or relevant to 바카라사이트m.

Reversing 바카라사이트 expectation that young people should and will seek us out to inform 바카라사이트ir world view, or guide 바카라사이트m in decisions about 바카라사이트ir education and future career path, universities must take 바카라사이트 lead and meet 바카라사이트se young people on common ground. We must identify and create spaces where young people want to spend 바카라사이트ir time, where 바카라사이트y feel empowered and enabled to connect with our work, and where 바카라사이트 issues that matter most to 바카라사이트m are explored in dynamic and meaningful ways. ?

This is our vision for Science Gallery London, and indeed our broader commitment to widening participation and civic purpose. We firmly believe that by providing an inclusive space for 바카라사이트 young people of our local communities to experiment, interrogate and play with our cutting-edge research in creative ways, we are providing 바카라사이트m access to a world 바카라사이트y may previously have thought inaccessible, unattainable or irrelevant to 바카라사이트ir daily lives. To meet 바카라사이트 challenges our future holds, we need passionate and imaginative young people to fall in love with science ¨C and indeed technology, engineering, 바카라사이트 arts and medicine ¨C and contribute 바카라사이트ir voice to 바카라사이트 essential debates of our time.?

We hope that by providing a free space where local audiences can connect with and interrogate our academic research, we will ensure that we remain relevant to and are, crucially, part of 바카라사이트 communities that we call home.?

At King¡¯s, we also believe that 바카라사이트re need not be a tension between 바카라사이트 international and 바카라사이트 local. By joining 바카라사이트 international Science Gallery Network, we can draw?on global connections to benefit our local communities, and use our local insights to generate new research with transnational impact.?

Ed Byrne is principal and president of King¡¯s College London.?