Civic engagementof universities
Andrea Vargiu(Università degli Studi di Sassari)
EUROPEAN SOCIOLOGICAL
ASSOCIATIONRN27 – REGIONAL
NETWORK ON SOUTHERN EUROPEAN SOCIETIES
CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS IN
THE MEDITERRANEAN
AREA: SOCIETAL ROLE, CHALLENGES,
DYNAMICS
Sassari 1-2 october 2012
Andrea VargiuUniversità di Sassari
Laboratorio Foistper le Politiche Sociali e i
Processi Formativi
PERARES ProjectPublic Engagement with Research and Research
Engagement with Society(FP7/2007-2013)g. a. n° 244264
Community engagement of universities*
* Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (2006 e 2008)
Curricular engagement
Outreach & Partnerships
Teaching, learning and scholarship engage faculty, students, and community in mutually beneficial and respectful collaboration. Their interactions address community-identified needs, deepen students’ civic and academic learning, enhance community well-being, and enrich the scholarship of the institution.
Outreach focuses on the application and provision of institutional resources for community use with benefits to both campus and community. Partnerships focuses on collaborative interactions with community and related scholarship for the mutually beneficial exchange, exploration, and application of knowledge, information, and resources (research, capacity building, economic development, etc.).
EUROPEAN SOCIOLOGICAL
ASSOCIATIONRN27 – REGIONAL
NETWORK ON SOUTHERN EUROPEAN SOCIETIES
CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS IN
THE MEDITERRANEAN
AREA: SOCIETAL ROLE, CHALLENGES,
DYNAMICS
Sassari 1-2 october 2012
Andrea VargiuUniversità di Sassari
Laboratorio Foistper le Politiche Sociali e i
Processi Formativi
PERARES ProjectPublic Engagement with Research and Research
Engagement with Society(FP7/2007-2013)g. a. n° 244264
Commitment to community engagement*
EUROPEAN SOCIOLOGICAL
ASSOCIATIONRN27 – REGIONAL
NETWORK ON SOUTHERN EUROPEAN SOCIETIES
CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS IN
THE MEDITERRANEAN
AREA: SOCIETAL ROLE, CHALLENGES,
DYNAMICS
Sassari 1-2 october 2012
Andrea VargiuUniversità di Sassari
Laboratorio Foistper le Politiche Sociali e i
Processi Formativi
PERARES ProjectPublic Engagement with Research and Research
Engagement with Society(FP7/2007-2013)g. a. n° 244264
Level 1Low relevance
Level 2Medium relevance
Level 3High relevance
Level 4Full integration
Mission No mention or undefined rhetorical reference
Engagement is part of what we do as educated citizens
Engagement is an aspect of our academic agenda
Engagement is a central and defining characteristic
Leadership (Presidents, Vice Presidents, Deans, Chairs)
Engagement not mentioned as a priority; general rhetorical references to community or society
Expressions that describe institution as asset to community through economic impact
Interest in and support for specific, short-term community projects; engagement discussed as a part of learning and research
Broad leadership commitment to a sustained engagement agenda with ongoing funding support and community input
Promotion, tenure, hiring Idea of engagement is confused with traditional view of service
Community engagement mentioned; volunteerism or consulting may be included in portfolio
Formal guidelines for defining, documenting and rewarding engaged teaching/research
Community-based research and teaching are valid criteria for hiring and reward
Organization structure and funding
No units focus on engagement or volunteerism
Units may exist to foster volunteerism/community service
Various separate centres and institutes are organized to support engagement; soft funding
Infrastructure exists (with base funding) to support partnership and widespread faculty/student participation
Student involvement and curriculum
Part of extracurricular student life activities
Organized institutional support for volunteer activity and community leadership development
Opportunity for internships, practice, some service-learning courses
Service-learning and community-based learning integrated across curriculum; linked to learning goals
Faculty involvement Traditional service defined as campus duties; committees; little support for interdisciplinary work
Pro-bono consulting; community volunteerism acknowledged
Tenured/senior faculty may pursue community-based research; some teach service-learning courses
Community-based research and learning intentionally integrated across disciplines; interdisciplinary work is supported
Community involvement Random, occasional, symbolic or limited individual or group involvement
Community representation on advisory boards for departments or schools
Community influences campus through active partnerships, participation in service-learning programmes or specific grants
Community involved in defining, conducting and evaluating community-based research and teaching; sustained partnerships
External communications and fundraising
Community engagement not an emphasis
Stories of students or alumni as good citizens; partnerships are grant dependent
Emphasis on economic impact of institution; public role of centres, institutes, extension
Engagement is integral to fundraising goals; joint grants/gifts with community; base funding
* Source: Mohrman 2010: 150-151
Actors Kind of service
Individuals(students, scholars, general public)
Public courses, Conferences, Science weeks, Open doors, Orientation, Museums/botanic gardens, Public relations
Comunity ONG Non-profit Local authorities
Science shopsService learningApprenticeship
SME Regional authorities Technology transfer
Stages National and
international authorities Industry
Public commissionsContractsChairs
Relationships betweenuniversity and society
EUROPEAN SOCIOLOGICAL
ASSOCIATIONRN27 – REGIONAL
NETWORK ON SOUTHERN EUROPEAN SOCIETIES
CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS IN
THE MEDITERRANEAN
AREA: SOCIETAL ROLE, CHALLENGES,
DYNAMICS
Sassari 1-2 october 2012
Andrea VargiuUniversità di Sassari
Laboratorio Foistper le Politiche Sociali e i
Processi Formativi
PERARES ProjectPublic Engagement with Research and Research
Engagement with Society(FP7/2007-2013)g. a. n° 244264
Possible impacts ofcivic engagement of universities (1)
EUROPEAN SOCIOLOGICAL
ASSOCIATIONRN27 – REGIONAL
NETWORK ON SOUTHERN EUROPEAN SOCIETIES
CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS IN
THE MEDITERRANEAN
AREA: SOCIETAL ROLE, CHALLENGES,
DYNAMICS
Sassari 1-2 october 2012
Andrea VargiuUniversità di Sassari
Laboratorio Foistper le Politiche Sociali e i
Processi Formativi
PERARES ProjectPublic Engagement with Research and Research
Engagement with Society(FP7/2007-2013)g. a. n° 244264
Ambit Outputs Outcomes Outreaches
Impacts on teaching Satisfaction of students
Satisfaction of professors
Organization and quality of teaching
Quality of learning Reaching of
learning objectives Promotion of
active citizenship among students
Social competences and civic engagement of students
Possible creation of new curricula or study courses
Employability of students
Public image of academy
Impacts on research Quality of research Knowledge
dissemination and sharing
Participated research
Research autonomy
Dissemination of results
Capacity building Social uses of
research Incubator for new
research
Influence upon research agenda
Organization of research
Creation of participated research centres
Public uses of research
EUROPEAN SOCIOLOGICAL
ASSOCIATIONRN27 – REGIONAL
NETWORK ON SOUTHERN EUROPEAN SOCIETIES
CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS IN
THE MEDITERRANEAN
AREA: SOCIETAL ROLE, CHALLENGES,
DYNAMICS
Sassari 1-2 october 2012
Andrea VargiuUniversità di Sassari
Laboratorio Foistper le Politiche Sociali e i
Processi Formativi
PERARES ProjectPublic Engagement with Research and Research
Engagement with Society(FP7/2007-2013)g. a. n° 244264
Possible impacts ofcivic engagement of universities (2)
Ambit Outputs Outcomes Outreaches
Impacts on CSOs Satisfaction of demands
Quality of partnership and of relationships
Satisfactions of needs Changes in attitudes
towards science Legal success Product, service or
organizational innovation
Empowerment Creation of new
organizations or partnerships
Impacts on community Satisfaction of demands
Knowledge communication, dissemination and sharing
Uses of research results
Satisfaction of community needs
Operationalization of research results
Medium term influence upon decisional processes
Attitudes towards science
Knowledge sharing and diffusion
Trust in science Active citizenship Long term influence
upon decisional processes
Research based policies and practices
Diffusion of social consciousness and civic responsibility
Cultural and intellectual enrichment
Social welfare