UNIVERSITIES AND

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UNIVERSITIES AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT
Stuart Laing University of Brighton
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SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT 2007
We want to focus more on our strategic support
for HE to contribute to wider social agendas.
This includes its contributions to civic life
and developing civilising values social,
community and environmental support and
regeneration
we intend to articulate, and then implement a
strategy for the social dimension to the third
stream
(HEFCE Strategic Plan 2006-11 updated April
2007)
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SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT 1997-1
The conscience of a democratic society Beyond
the economic to the whole of life cultural and
sporting life of communities civic
virtue Student Community Action
Groups softer areas represented by impacts
on culture, tourism and community
development the range and quality of
entertainment high quality life styles
(Higher Education in the Learning Society 1997)
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SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT 1997-2
Work (paid) versus Non-Work (Leisure) The
Softer Areas
The Powers of the Mind Conscience and Virtue
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KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE 1997
The flow of new knowledge between higher
education and industry is increasingly becoming
a two-way process the term knowledge
exchange rather than technology transfer is
becoming more appropriate
(Higher Education in the Learning Society 1997)
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SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Three Modes
Mark One Inevitable Consequences (The Passive
Mode)
Mark Two Benevolent Philanthropy/ Corporate
Social Responsibility (The Active Mode)
Mark Three Knowledge Exchange, Development and
Application (Core Business)
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DOMAINS OF ACTIVITY
Health and Well Being Care and
Caring Sustainable Development Community
Development and Facilities Citizenship and
Social Competence Social Enterprise Communities
of Practice
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CHARACTERISTICS OF ACTIVITY
Reciprocal knowledge development and exchange For
Mutual Benefit Profoundly Practical Skills and
Competences for Purposes Low Flying Tangible Tacti
cal Pragmatic Thorough (Can be) Temporary (Can
be) Bite-sized
NOT
Education for Leisure Spreading Civilised
Values Charity Work Approval Seeking
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SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT 2008-10
South East Coastal Communities Project

• Nine Universities Kent, Sussex, Hampshire
• Health and Well Being

• Local Focus (Swale)
• Communities of Practice (Older people
• younger people and families LGBT Disability
• Social Enterprise

• Funding Partners
• Community Involvement
• Interconnections
• Teaching (service learning curriculum
• development)
• Research (collaborative, participatory)
• Economic Engagement (wealth, well
• being and health)

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THATS ALL VERY WELL, BUT

• How?
• Where?
• Who ?
• Measuring Success?
• Funding?
• Sustainability

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AVOIDING FAILURE

• Dont
• Make social engagement a senior managers
• pet project
• Make it a desirable luxury item
• Define it as Continuing Education
• Oversell the idea

• Or
• Undersell the idea
• Expect an easy ride either inside or outside
• the University
• See it as recompense for noisy students

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AVOIDING FAILURE

• Do
• Decide to undertake it seriously or not at all
• Invest in staff with community-facing expertise
• and organisational flair
• Develop high quality and imaginative
• administrative systems both at the
  operational
• and central level
• Have strategies for a wide range of senior
• academic involvement
• Have a very thorough and scholarly
• understanding of social engagement
• Plan a seamly relationship with T, R and
• business engagement
• Seek, and deserve, trust

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SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT 2017

• Towards 80 Participation
• International Referencing and Networks
• The Permeable University
• Wealth, Well-Being and Health
• Social, Community and Environmental
• Support and Regeneration

In a period of discontinuous change the future
cannot be forecast from the past (Dearing Report
1997)
Or even the present