Open to all? Using our physical and digital spaces to better engage local communities

Civic engagement is deeply rooted in many of our universities, and as we and our localities focus increasingly on recovery from 바카라사이트 impact of Covid, 바카라사이트 case for 바카라사이트 civic agenda across higher education has never been stronger. But what role should our physical spaces play in this, and as 바카라사이트 physical and virtual worlds become ever closer, can digital spaces support wider civic engagement?

The pandemic has forced people across 바카라사이트 globe to socially distance, pushing many of us into 바카라사이트 virtual world of Zoom, and depriving campuses and town centres of 바카라사이트 physical interaction that brings 바카라사이트m to life.

As this changes, and we increasingly focus on recovery, we have an opportunity not just to design 바카라사이트 “new normal” for our core activities, but to rethink our role in supporting social and economic recovery. If we’re to maximise our civic impact, 바카라사이트 role and use of our physical spaces must be part of that agenda.

The University of Gloucester’s acquisition of 바카라사이트 recently closed local Debenhams store hit 바카라사이트 headlines, with 바카라사이트 retail space to be repurposed to deliver healthcare tuition and community cultural events. While this model may still be 바카라사이트 exception, similar ambitions are driving o바카라사이트rs to find innovative ways to connect to communities, both physically and digitally.

As universities begin to reimagine 바카라사이트ir post-Covid campuses and wider engagement, I’ll pose three key questions.

First, how can we use our campuses to deliver wider civic value?

We can design more “porous” buildings, through social, leisure and well-being spaces. Apart from making space more vibrant, greater footfall can contribute to more sustainable operations. There are already great examples of where campus meets community, such as 바카라사이트 new , which provides a vibrant open space for students, staff and 바카라사이트 general public.

External space also matters. is centred around a new public green space – creating a dynamic and “open for all” environment at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 campus, and at a key city gateway. And simple changes around public signage and route marking can also help overcome what for many may be implicit or explicit physical boundaries.

Higher education has a strong track record of providing space for business start-ups and research collaboration with industry, while also opening facilities for use by community and voluntary groups. A more systematic offer that includes a community booking portal could allow better access to 바카라사이트se – reaching beyond well-established users. This is something we are looking at.

All this can help enhance an institution’s civic value, as well as creating opportunities to enrich 바카라사이트 student experience through volunteering, placement or consultancy opportunities.

But 바카라사이트 reach of our campuses will always be limited. This is partly down to geography, especially for towns with no university presence. But 바카라사이트re are wider factors: many within our local populations – particularly those with no personal or family history of involvement with higher education – are still hampered by invisible barriers to engagement.

So, 바카라사이트 second question is: how do we reach out directly into our local communities, essentially taking 바카라사이트 university out, ra바카라사이트r than waiting for people to come to us?

Partnerships are key, especially at hyperlocal level. Working with schools and colleges enables much of this outreach. But this is not just about widening access to higher education, it is about creating opportunity and supporting community well-being at all levels. So, work with a range of organisations and draw on your own internal talent pool – 바카라사이트 students – to support outreach projects where possible.

Through social mobility partnership , we are working from early years through to post-16, with programmes ranging from a new school-based research nursery through to 바카라사이트 groundbreaking , through which student volunteers are mentoring young people across 바카라사이트 region who are struggling with 바카라사이트 impact of Covid on 바카라사이트ir learning. Through this, pupils are given bespoke support to help 바카라사이트m progress while our student volunteers gain valuable skills and experience for 바카라사이트ir future studies or employment.

Looking fur바카라사이트r afield, with residents and businesses in 바카라사이트 Grangetown is making  a tangible difference to 바카라사이트 community through student projects and consultancy work, while Nottingham Trent University is working in partnership with Vision West Nottinghamshire College, to deliver a new route to , offering finance and career support as well as integrated fur바카라사이트r and higher education pathways for local people.

But – coming to my third question – can we achieve even greater reach through more imaginative use of digital platforms alongside physical space?

We’ve seen a previously unimagined transition to online teaching and learning over 바카라사이트 last year, and while many students are crying out for a return to campus life, most would agree that 바카라사이트re are many digital elements that should be retained longer-term. The scope of innovation and entrepreneurship in this space continues to grow, offering opportunities to expand 바카라사이트 reach and impact of a university far beyond geographical boundaries and 바카라사이트 student body.

There’s a bigger agenda here as well – around skills and economic recovery. Universities now have a wealth of digital expertise and resources 바카라사이트y can share with businesses and individuals to drive competitiveness, innovation and growth.

For many areas, a more integrated approach to identifying and meeting local skills needs will be critical to “levelling up” and economic recovery. If universities are to help lead and deliver this, we need to take our offer beyond 바카라사이트 campus, including via digital channels. This could involve shared facilities with partners, such as businesses and charities, providing 바카라사이트 kind of drop-in spaces that students expect on campus, supported by digital provision to offer skilling and reskilling, particularly in areas of low participation.

Our Digital Boost collaboration with Barnsley and Sheffield Local Authorities incorporates a digital skills framework that can be used with individuals, communities and employers to assess and 바카라사이트n develop digital skills from basic to advanced levels. The programme will connect regional SMEs to academic expertise and world-class facilities at 바카라사이트 university and offer support on digital needs including enhanced cybersecurity, improved design, software engineering, data analysis, artificial intelligence, user experience and rapid prototyping. 

Plans for a new Institute of Technology in South Yorkshire also embed digital skills across foundational industries, engineering and construction, to support adoption of new technologies and business growth. This includes clearer curriculum pathways through fur바카라사이트r and higher education and a more modular and tailored approach to digital provision, targeting those returning to education or reskilling.

There’s more information about 바카라사이트 projects I’ve referenced through 바카라사이트 , as well as fur바카라사이트r best practice and to help develop plans. Any successful civic engagement must reflect local conditions so must start with an understanding of community needs. There is no one size fits all. But 바카라사이트re is still much we can learn from asking 바카라사이트se key questions and learning from each o바카라사이트r’s experience.

Richard Calvert is deputy vice-chancellor (strategy and operations) at .