What is Community Engagement? 

According to the Carnegie Foundation, Community engagement is the collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities (local, regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial creation and exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity.

Why is important?

It enables higher education institutions and public and private sectors  to enrich scholarship, research, and creative activity; enhance curriculum, teaching, and learning; prepare educated, engaged citizens; strengthen democratic values and civic responsibility; address critical societal issues; and contribute to the public good.

Carnegie Classification

Recognised as the gold standard for higher education in the United States (US), the Carnegie Classification is an elective community engagement framework currently used across 361 US campuses.

First offered in 2006, it has become the gold standard for assessment and recognition of community engagement in the US by:

  • Recognising university contributions beyond traditional measures, such as academic rankings.
  • Enabling institutions to share best practice in community engagement.
  • Encouraging continuous improvement through periodic re-classification.

An Australian Classification

UTS and Charles Sturt University co-led the Australian pilot of the Classification. The Pilot involved eight other Australian Universities and six 'observer' institutions. The Pilot was a comprehensive self-study that will adapt the Classification in an Australian context.

“The opportunity to collectively forge an Australian community engagement classification through a world-leading framework is a game changer for higher education in Australia. Enhanced ability to benchmark, reward, incentivise and achieve scaled impact will enable and drive the critical mission of universities as institutions in service of society.”

— Verity Firth, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Social Justice and Inclusion

The success of the pilot has resulted in the launch of the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement for Australia.  This body of work incorporates two offerings:

  1. The Network for Community Engagement and Carnegie Classification. A Community of Practice and Membership program that supports the growth of social outcomes resulting from reciprocal partnerships between community and the higher education sector.
  2. The Elective Classification that enables higher education institutions to demonstrate and evidence their commitment to engaged scholarship.

 

Additional information about the Australian Pilot and the Australian Carnegie Classification can be found through Engagement Australia, the host organisation of the Australian Carnegie Classification. 

Engagement Australia is the peak alliance of Australian and New Zealand universities focused on developing the engagement agenda in higher education. EA events are free for UTS Staff members.