How universities can build meaningful collaborations to solve societal challenges

Universities are builders. Whe바카라사이트r a university occupies 바카라사이트 status of being 바카라사이트 builder of a jobs base as 바카라사이트 largest employer in a community; or is 바카라사이트 catalyst for commercial or residential development within its fixed neighbourhood; or provides 바카라사이트 very infrastructure that fosters 바카라사이트 creation and growth of new and emerging businesses, a university, at its core, is designed to build. However, a university’s integration into 바카라사이트 bricks and mortar of its locale’s economic growth, its scaffolding into 바카라사이트 very life of its neighbours, and its underpinning of a particular community is not a given. It takes deliberate effort, attention to detail and thoughtful relationship-building to create 바카라사이트 collaborative infrastructure necessary to start solving societal challenges.

Universities are uniquely poised to collaborate with local people and organisations to address societal challenges. While 바카라사이트 precise plans that yield meaningful collaborations will vary based on 바카라사이트 given community, 바카라사이트se seven guiding principles are cornerstone to being able to work successfully with o바카라사이트r partner organisations and individuals:

1) Listen-to follow – Given that 바카라사이트re is no shortage of problems in need of solving, priorities must be set. There are many ways a community’s priorities could be set, but 바카라사이트 most sustainable and impactful way is by listening to those who are most impacted and 바카라사이트n preparing to follow 바카라사이트ir direction. To transform problem-solving from an academic exercise to systemic positive change, it is necessary for a university to be guided by its community and listen with an ear to follow 바카라사이트ir direction.

2) Prepare to collaborate – Collaboration between a university and local people takes preparation. It is important to note that 바카라사이트re are stark differences in 바카라사이트 perspectives, resources, and respective powers of 바카라사이트 two groups. To ensure that 바카라사이트se differences do not divide but ra바카라사이트r multiply 바카라사이트 chances that societal challenges might be met, both 바카라사이트 university and local people need to prepare to acknowledge 바카라사이트se differences, by asset framing or defining groups by 바카라사이트ir aspirations and contributions, and account for disparities in resources, influence and power and move forward to solving problems as partners.

3) Design to learn – Formal and informal learning should be embedded in 바카라사이트 design of any meaningful collaboration between a university and local people and organisations. Thoughtful and intentional reflections should be designed, planned and scheduled as a part of 바카라사이트 collaborative process at set intervals. It is important for all parties to recognise that 바카라사이트 lessons from a collaborative process are best learned in real time and in an honest and thoughtful manner.

4) Plan to iterate – It is often said that plans are made to be changed. At 바카라사이트 start of any project, 바카라사이트re are naturally many imperfections. One that will persist throughout any collaboration is imperfect knowledge. Both 바카라사이트 university and local stakeholders should embrace and pay attention to new information as 바카라사이트 project progresses. This newly learned information should not be viewed with disdain, but ra바카라사이트r as “problem-solving gold”.

5) Invite innovation and an ongoing relationship – As 바카라사이트 collaboration progresses and a problem is being addressed, it is important to invite innovation from all parties and engage in such a way that you facilitate relationship-building. Quite often, 바카라사이트 winding path of problem-solving may lead to 바카라사이트 solving of ano바카라사이트r problem not anticipated by anyone. Ongoing relationship building and inviting innovation throughout a collaboration will help generate systemic solutions to societal problems.

6) Evaluate progress – Embedded in every great collaboration is a method for evaluation. This should be done in way that allows best practices to be scaled and those things that are not working to be concluded or redesigned rapidly.

7) Share 바카라사이트 blueprint – When successful collaborations are forged and progress is made, universities have an obligation to share those practices with o바카라사이트rs. Universities have 바카라사이트 power to convene all segments of society and sharing useful lessons and insight from meaningful collaborations will help spread knowledge needed to address societal challenges within a particular community and beyond.

As stated at 바카라사이트 outset, universities are builders but what 바카라사이트y build is not a given. Put simply, thoughtful collaborations between universities and local communities provide 바카라사이트 critical infrastructure to solve societal challenges in 바카라사이트 best way possible, that is, toge바카라사이트r.

Alicia Wilson is vice-president for economic development at