Features of Community University Engagement

that facilitates real added value

George L. Openjuru PhDAssociate Professor and

Dean School of Distance and Lifelong Learning,College of Education and External Studies

Makerere University

Participation Participation is crucial for value addition in all social,

economic and political activities. In CUE the following feature should be part of this

participation The whole university in policy commitment, framework

and structural provision) Quality involvement Staff and students Quality Involvement of Community members Quality activities (agenda) in which all stakeholders are

Involved from formulation, to implementation and evaluation

Outcomes of CUE This is the most important and yet the most

overlooked aspect of CUE with added value. Outcomes and expectations comes in the form of

Positive change in the community in terms of real social/economic transformation

Positive change in the university curriculum in terms of relevant content, teaching and research experience.

Levels of changes should range from local, regional, national to international (global).

CUE intervention strategies To achieve the above outcomes universities deploy a

number of methods that go by different names and meanings for examples Community service Service learning, Internship and field attachment Extension service Triple Helix's Partnership Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Private Public Partnership Knowledge co-creation and research partnerships

Measurement and Quality question The unresolved question that confront

are many e.g. funding cutback etc. However, today we need to engage

with the question of the quality of CUE activities. This is an assessment question “How do we assess and define quality in CUE at the different levels University wide level Unit Level (schools, Faculties, Departments etc.) Individual staff (Lecturers, professors, faculties etc.) Program/course and student’s CUE involvement

How do we measure CUE This start with how CUE is defined to provide for easy

identification of indicators for quality assessment of CUE Pre-engagement needs analysis, to provide for

identification of changes and outcomes due to CUE Interventions ceteris paribus

Counting (quantitative measures) to determine quantitatively the level or frequency of engagement by the institutions, unit or individual

Internal Evaluation to establish Participants satisfaction (both university and community members)

External (Third party) evaluation base on a clearly stated outcomes

PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES In most cases all CUE activities have clearly stated

objectives and all objectives are normally stated in measurable terms. If this assumption is correct why are we still concern about the measurability of a quality CUE activity?

What is wrong with CUE objectives? Are they badly formulated because of limited understanding of what constitute CUE.

why are they not bringing out the definitive features of what constitute a desirable CUE.

And what are these definitive features of a desirable CUE with added value

What is missing to bring about quality CUE.

Performance Indicators If you talk about measure then you should have a clear

measurable parameters called indicators. There are may example of CUE indicators

Reflection of CUE in the mission and policy statement of the university and the clarity of its articulation, etc.

The Institutional structural provision for CUE in the University Counting (numbers) the different aspect of CUE activities that

the different staff, units etc. are involved in; the research projects, community partnership, reports and publications generated on CUE. These are OVI.

Noticeable and meaningful positive outcomes for community and university as partners in the stakes

Do these provide us with the evidence we need for quality CUE with added value.

WHICH DIMENSION OF CUE ARE WE THINKING ABOUT

As we think about how to measure CUE we should also be aware that there are very many dimension of CUE for example Access to university resources/facilities such as libraries Access to knowledge resources, e.g. research products Students related to programs and courses staff community service engagement activities Access equity and social justice question in admission to

higher education and completion for minority groups in society

Direct Improvement of community well being through projects

Community Stakeholder participation in the university curriculum development processes

Can we use one measure for all or do we need different quality measure for the different dimension for CUE.

In developing CUE measures how do we keep sights of CUE principles

As a core university wide function Ensure its benefits are clear to both the community

and the university’s operations From service mentality to partnership arrangements CUE exist at local, regional, and global levels Ensure that it lead to co-creation of knowledge for

use both in the community and the university

Thank you