
Towards a European framework for community engagement in higher education : a case study analysis of European universities
- Author
- Emma O’Brien, Bojana Culum Ilic, Anete Veidemane, Davide Dusi (UGent) , Thomas Farnell and Ninoslav Šcukanec Schmidt
- Organization
- Abstract
- Purpose This paper aims to examine the development and piloting of a novel European framework for community engagement (CE) in higher education, which has been purposefully designed to progress the CE agenda in a European context. Design/methodology/approach The proposed framework was co-created through the European Union (EU)-funded project towards a European framework for community engagement in higher education (TEFCE). The TEFCE Toolbox is an institutional self-reflection framework that centres on seven thematic dimensions of CE. This paper follows the development of the TEFCE Toolbox through empirical case study analysis of four European universities and their local communities. Findings The findings in this paper indicate that the TEFCE Toolbox facilitates context-specific applications in different types of universities and socioeconomic environments. Incorporating insights from engagement practitioners, students and community representatives the TEFCE Toolbox was successfully applied in universities with diverse profiles and missions. The process facilitated the recognition of CE achievements and the identification of potential areas for improvement. Originality/value Despite a range of international initiatives, there remains an absence of initiatives within the European higher education area that focus on developing tools to comprehensively support CE. The TEFCE Toolbox and case-study analysis presented in this paper address this gap in knowledge. The broader societal contribution and social responsibility of higher education have become increasingly prominent on the European agenda. The TEFCE Toolbox represents an innovative, robust and holistic European framework with the potential to support universities in reflecting upon their pursuit of addressing grand societal challenges, whilst promoting CE.
- Keywords
- University social responsibility, Community engagement, Higher education, European Policy, University-community partnerships, Case-study, SOCIAL-RESPONSIBILITY
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Citation
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication: http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-8751298
- MLA
- O’Brien, Emma, et al. “Towards a European Framework for Community Engagement in Higher Education : A Case Study Analysis of European Universities.” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION, vol. 23, no. 4, 2022, pp. 815–30, doi:10.1108/IJSHE-03-2021-0120.
- APA
- O’Brien, E., Culum Ilic, B., Veidemane, A., Dusi, D., Farnell, T., & Šcukanec Schmidt, N. (2022). Towards a European framework for community engagement in higher education : a case study analysis of European universities. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION, 23(4), 815–830. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-03-2021-0120
- Chicago author-date
- O’Brien, Emma, Bojana Culum Ilic, Anete Veidemane, Davide Dusi, Thomas Farnell, and Ninoslav Šcukanec Schmidt. 2022. “Towards a European Framework for Community Engagement in Higher Education : A Case Study Analysis of European Universities.” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION 23 (4): 815–30. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-03-2021-0120.
- Chicago author-date (all authors)
- O’Brien, Emma, Bojana Culum Ilic, Anete Veidemane, Davide Dusi, Thomas Farnell, and Ninoslav Šcukanec Schmidt. 2022. “Towards a European Framework for Community Engagement in Higher Education : A Case Study Analysis of European Universities.” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION 23 (4): 815–830. doi:10.1108/IJSHE-03-2021-0120.
- Vancouver
- 1.O’Brien E, Culum Ilic B, Veidemane A, Dusi D, Farnell T, Šcukanec Schmidt N. Towards a European framework for community engagement in higher education : a case study analysis of European universities. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION. 2022;23(4):815–30.
- IEEE
- [1]E. O’Brien, B. Culum Ilic, A. Veidemane, D. Dusi, T. Farnell, and N. Šcukanec Schmidt, “Towards a European framework for community engagement in higher education : a case study analysis of European universities,” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION, vol. 23, no. 4, pp. 815–830, 2022.
@article{8751298, abstract = {{Purpose This paper aims to examine the development and piloting of a novel European framework for community engagement (CE) in higher education, which has been purposefully designed to progress the CE agenda in a European context. Design/methodology/approach The proposed framework was co-created through the European Union (EU)-funded project towards a European framework for community engagement in higher education (TEFCE). The TEFCE Toolbox is an institutional self-reflection framework that centres on seven thematic dimensions of CE. This paper follows the development of the TEFCE Toolbox through empirical case study analysis of four European universities and their local communities. Findings The findings in this paper indicate that the TEFCE Toolbox facilitates context-specific applications in different types of universities and socioeconomic environments. Incorporating insights from engagement practitioners, students and community representatives the TEFCE Toolbox was successfully applied in universities with diverse profiles and missions. The process facilitated the recognition of CE achievements and the identification of potential areas for improvement. Originality/value Despite a range of international initiatives, there remains an absence of initiatives within the European higher education area that focus on developing tools to comprehensively support CE. The TEFCE Toolbox and case-study analysis presented in this paper address this gap in knowledge. The broader societal contribution and social responsibility of higher education have become increasingly prominent on the European agenda. The TEFCE Toolbox represents an innovative, robust and holistic European framework with the potential to support universities in reflecting upon their pursuit of addressing grand societal challenges, whilst promoting CE.}}, author = {{O’Brien, Emma and Culum Ilic, Bojana and Veidemane, Anete and Dusi, Davide and Farnell, Thomas and Šcukanec Schmidt, Ninoslav}}, issn = {{1467-6370}}, journal = {{INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION}}, keywords = {{University social responsibility,Community engagement,Higher education,European Policy,University-community partnerships,Case-study,SOCIAL-RESPONSIBILITY}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{4}}, pages = {{815--830}}, title = {{Towards a European framework for community engagement in higher education : a case study analysis of European universities}}, url = {{http://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-03-2021-0120}}, volume = {{23}}, year = {{2022}}, }
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