University- Community Engagement for Societal Change and Development: Possibilities and Challenges, Paris, 7 July

Community- University partnerships in research, learning and knowledge mobilisation are a growing trend in countries around the world, as nations and regions seek solutions to inter-related social, economic and environmental issues and challenges to their sustainability. There has been a growing focus in universities on curriculum, programmes, research and knowledge mobilisation activity to apply the resources of faculty, students and researchers to the needs of communities and civil society. There are targeted funding by research councils encouraging universities to engage in community partnerships. All these have provided substantial benefits to the institutions involved. Higher education institutions have the advantages of the increased learning and engagement of their students and faculty in real-life learning and knowledge creation opportunities. They are also gaining from the increased support from the public and stakeholders by demonstrating their commitment to social responsibility. Public agencies and research councils have the benefits of multiple returns on their investment in research that informs policy, practice and learning across a range of relevant stakeholders. Civil society organisations gain from the enhanced resource partnerships that inform the public good. Communities are directly benefiting from their engagement in research and learning partnerships, obtaining access to participatory action research and learning opportunities that build their capacity to manage and create their own evidence-based strategies for sustainable development. All these emerging trends in community–higher education engagement offer an important knowledge creation and mobilisation system to respond to the world's sustainable development challenges.

It is in this backdrop that the Global Alliance for Community Engaged Research (GACER) is organising the session on University- Community Engagement for Societal Change and Development: Possibilities and Challenges as a part of the 2009 World Conference on Higher Education. The panelists will share findings and propose next steps in the effective utilisation of higher education partnerships with communities and civil society to address the social, economic and environmental challenges that confront people all over the world. They will share how higher education can provide a vision of public service, relevance and social responsibility. The discussion aims to influence international research policies and establish priorities for community based research, thereby model scholarship for higher education in the 21st century. It will raise with Member States and stakeholders the importance of community- university partnerships in learning and research and to strengthen the role of higher education in sustainable development, social responsibility and civic engagement.