Contributors from Young Universities for the Future of Europe and Nicolaus Copernicus University have set out practical lessons for universities developing community partnerships. Their article, published by the European Association for International Education on 23 October, draws on the European alliance’s experience.
The authors describe a cycle combining preparation, participation, reflection and recognition. Examples include service-learning help desks, volunteering with local organisations and intercultural meetings. They argue that these activities should connect with institutional priorities, teaching or research.
The article also highlights consultation with communities and evaluation that includes residents’ perspectives. Reflection reports and satisfaction surveys are among the methods discussed for understanding what participants and community partners experience.
For university leaders, the publication offers approaches to consider when designing partnerships. It is a practitioner account, rather than a new independent evaluation demonstrating that the suggested methods improve outcomes.
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