Effective engagement with local, regional and global communities is becoming a higher priority for tertiary education institutions.

This conference provides practitioners with a collegial and collaborative environment within which to explore the varied roles of tertiary education institutions and educators in engaging with their communities to (a) create sustainable solutions to social, civic, economic and moral problems, and (b) construct appropriate and effective educational environments.

Tertiary Education and the Scholarship of Engagement “…. The academy must become a more vigorous partner in the search for answers to our most pressing social, civic, economic and moral problems, and must reaffirm its historic commitment to what I call the scholarship of engagement.”

The scholarship of engagement “means connecting the rich resources of the university to our most pressing social, civic, and ethic problems, to our children, to our schools, to our teachers, and to our cities. Campuses would be viewed by both students and professors not as isolated islands, but as staging grounds for action.”

See Boyer, E.L. (1996). The scholarship of engagement. Journal of Public Service and Outreach, 1(1), 11-20.

As members of the tertiary education community, how should we respond to Boyer’s vision and challenge? What examples can we offer of vigorous and effective connections and partnerships?

Engaging Our Communities

Communities previously under-represented in tertiary and higher education, have a strong presence. They are demanding new forms of engagement as learners and communities.

While the communities of concern will vary across countries, regions and institutions, they are likely to include indigenous communities, the disabled communities and migrant communities.

How can we connect, communicate and engage more effectively with these, and other, communities so that their distinctive needs are acknowledged and their contributions valued.

Learning within Communities

While the concept of learning communities is now widely known and generally endorsed, building and sustaining successful learning communities in tertiary and higher education contexts present continuing challenges. What theories and models can inform this work? What evidence is available to support the case for learning communities? How can information and communication technologies enable learning communities? What related problems and issues need to be acknowledged and addressed?

Engaging with each other

Whilst professional cultures are ideally founded on collegiality and co-operation, policies and procedures within the wider tertiary education environment, as well as within institutions, can make it difficult for tertiary education staff to become involved in communities of practice that embody those values. What forms of leadership within institutions, faculties/schools and departments are most likely to support the emergence and sustainability of such communities? What initiatives can all staff take to facilitate a healthy professional culture and strong community within their workplaces? What role should professional organizations, such as HERDSA, play in strengthening communities of practice?