IV.1. Moving Beyond the Ivory Tower: the Expanding Global Movement Of
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Evidence from engaged universities around The regional portraits of university the world demonstrates that there is a civic engagement prepared for this volume global movement of universities dedicated describe a growing global movement with a IV.1 to civic engagement and social responsibil- high level of common vision and strategy, led MOVING BEYOND ity. This movement contributes to societal by dynamic national and regional coalitions, THE IVORY TOWER: change by enlarging existing notions of and illustrate the distinctive experience and THE EXPANDING knowledge generation and impact. Experi- perspectives of the global south. In all parts GLOBAL ence and perspectives from the global south of the world, these national and regional are essential to growing and strengthening coalitions are growing in size and strength. MOVEMENT this movement, and national and regional Impressive examples include the Latin OF ENGAGED http://www.guninetwork.org/. networks constitute a key dimension of the American Center for Service-Learning, the UNIVERSITIES movement’s infrastructure and momentum. Ma’an Arab University Alliance for Civic Our regional overview synthesizes informa- Engagement, the South African Higher Lorlene M. Hoyt and website tion from the regional papers and from the Education Community Engagement Forum, Robert M. Hollister their research and experience of the Talloires AsiaEngage, Engagement Australia, Campus on Network to describe this global movement; it Engage in Ireland, and Campus Compact [email protected]. also provides a collective vision and agenda in the USA. These coalitions are further for civic engagement in higher education. evidence that there is a global movement contact underway. In addition, they are influential Innovation vehicles for promoting and growing the for INTRODUCTION movement – through an exchange of experi- please ence and mutual support, and through collec- Developing alternative methods of knowledge tive voice and action. Network production, mobilization and dissemination This global movement is therefore char- is an increasingly urgent task in a rapidly acterized by both a diversity and a universal- permission, changing world. Dominant conceptualizations ity – of goals, approach and programmatic of higher education’s role in the process of direction. While there is significant variation University knowledge production are insufficient and, across and within regions, the larger story is request to in some instances, antiquated. Although one of a common vision, strategy and cause. Global knowledge production through research is a These commonalities are striking, especially wish valued function within many institutions of as their geopolitical contexts vary dramati- The you by higher education, it can be substantially and cally. The regional papers present powerful If strategically enhanced in combination with examples of individual and collective only teaching and service functions. The integra- leadership for change by university profes- tion of research, teaching and service through sors, administrators, staff, students and their use civic engagement expands both the sites and community partners. for the epistemologies of knowledge, focusing infringement. attention on the production of knowledge that is relevant and crucial to solving press- AN EXPANDING GLOBAL MOVEMENT authorised ing societal problems. Engaged universities is copyright are moving beyond the ivory tower, blending Combining observations from the regional a research, teaching and service functions with papers with our own observations from is guidance and support from local community research and practice with engaged universi- document partners. Collecting, analysing and sharing ties, we believe there is strong evidence posting university civic engagement practices from that there is a global movement of civic or This different regions of the world can foster engagement in higher education (Bjarson and dialogue and learning as national, regional and Coldtream, 2003). The presence of a global GUNI. Copying global networks of engaged universities craft movement is supported by the growth in the © an agenda for change. number of engaged universities, the increased MOVING BEYOND THE IVORY TOWER: THE EXPANDING GLOBAL MOVEMENT OF ENGAGED UNIVERSITIES 129 collaborative action among these institutions, the rise of sector, community-based organizations, governments university conferences dedicated to the topic, the grow- and philanthropists. Although there is tremendous ing body of scholarship and publication in the field, variation in the way in which universities engage with and increased support for university civic engagement local communities, common issues emerge from these within communities and from funders. diverse contexts, such as economic development, alle- The first observation to support the existence of a viation of poverty, physical and mental health, early global movement is the steady growth in the number and childhood education and recovery from disaster. type of universities that are expressing a commitment By definition, movements are concerted group to civic engagement. Gradually, universities around the action focused on specific issues. Engaged universi- world are refining their missions, joining national and ties not only sustain collective action within their own regional networks of engaged universities and signing communities, but also engage with one another. Much declarations that affirm their dedication to social respon- like movements targeting issues regarding labour, sibility. For example, the membership of the Talloires women’s rights and the environment, the university http://www.guninetwork.org/. Network has increased dramatically. The Network is the civic engagement movement aims to influence public primary global alliance committed to strengthening the opinion, government policies and cultural norms by civic roles and social responsibilities of higher educa- questioning and working to reorient the relationship website tion. It mobilizes its members to improve community between higher education and society at large. This conditions and, in the process, to educate students movement contributes to societal change by enlarging their on to be leaders for change. At the network’s founding existing notions of knowledge; it calls into question [email protected]. conference in Talloires, France, in 2005, 29 university whose knowledge is valued, where knowledge is heads from 23 countries created and signed the Talloires managed and how knowledge can serve society. Declaration on the Civic Roles and Social Responsibility In-person regional, national and global conferences contact Innovation of Higher Education. Today, the Talloires Network has a that critiqued the dominant methods of knowledge for total of 301 members in 71 different countries around the creation and dissemination were first held several please world. With 48 in Africa, 34 in the Asia-Pacific region, decades ago in South America and Africa and continue 56 in Europe and Central Asia, 42 in Latin America and to expand and proliferate throughout the world. Lead- the Caribbean, 16 in the Middle East and North Africa, ers in the Asia-Pacific region are now organizing Network 63 in North America, and 42 in South Asia, substantial networks, major events and conferences to share ideas permission, geographical diversity is a defining feature of the coali- and advance new pedagogies and epistemologies. tion (Talloires Network, 2013). There are also prominent annual conferences on University Additionally, the numerous regional examples in university engagement in North America, Europe request this paper illuminate the scale and steady growth in the and Australia. Modern movements often utilize the to Global number of university administrators, faculty, staff and internet to mobilize ideas and people globally, and the wish students as well as community partners that participate civic engagement movement in higher education is no The you in civic engagement activities. Such activities move exception. Webinars and other virtual meetings are by If higher education beyond the ivory tower and include on the rise and are accelerating the rate of exchange only curricular and co-curricular efforts to increase prob- among participants of the movement. lem-solving skills through interdisciplinary collabora- In addition to the regional, national and global use tion, as well as to broaden the kind of knowledge that networks that have formed and united for the purpose for is valued inside and outside the academy. University of ‘leading, developing and promoting university- infringement. civic engagement activities include community-based community engagement’ (part of Engagement research as well as research applied to policy develop- Australia’s tagline), there are other higher education ment and public decision-making. It may also include agencies and organizations for whom social responsi- authorised is copyright extensive collaboration between university faculty, bility and civic engagement have become more promi- a staff and students and external constituencies with nent (Brown and Gaventa, 2009), even in monarchies is regard to educational goals and the conduct of research. such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. The most powerful civic engagement programmes In 2013, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Higher Education document posting aim to achieve mutual benefit between institutions of held its third International Exhibition and Conference or This