UNESCO Chair in Community Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education

Project: Strengthening Community University Research Partnerships

Project: Strengthening Community University Research Partnerships

Support and Partners

This project is funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada, with additional support from the University of Victoria, Makerere University, PRIA, SSHRC of Canada, CEBEM, and several regional and global networking organizations, including the Living Knowledge Network, Talloires Network, and PASCAL Observatories.

Project Description

The "Strengthening Community University Research Partnerships" project, initiated by the UNESCO Chair of Community-based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education, aims to explore and support research partnerships between community groups and universities globally. It focuses on understanding how these partnerships are initiated, supported, and evaluated through a comparative study of institutional arrangements. The project seeks to raise awareness among decision-makers in HEIs in the Global South about the importance of creating supportive structures and to mobilize knowledge for policy actions through identifying best practices and recommendations.

A multi-lingual global survey is being conducted to document advanced CURP structures and understand the challenges faced by pre-formal structures or intermediary mechanisms of engagement. The study aims to explore the genesis and evolution of these arrangements.

Description of CURP

Community-University Research Partnerships (CURP) involve collaborations between HEIs and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to address community needs through capacity building, participatory research, and policy advocacy. These partnerships foster an iterative process of learning, reflection, and action, benefiting both community members and university partners.

Various organizational and administrative structures facilitate CURP, including:

  • Projects led by individuals from the community or university
  • University centres or disciplinary structures (e.g., Centre for Youth and Society at UVic)
  • University-wide structures (e.g., Community University Partnership Programme at Brighton University, UK)
  • Joint university-community networks (e.g., Canadian Community Economic Development Network)
  • NGO or community-based organization-led projects (e.g., PRIA in Asia)
  • Government structures (e.g., The Rural Secretariat, Government of Newfoundland)
  • National networks of solidarity (e.g., Brazil and Argentina)

Additional networks include the Global University Network for Innovation, Sub-Saharan African Participatory Research Network, the Developing Research on Citizenship network, the PASCAL Observatory, and the Australian University Community Engagement Association.

Publications

The project has produced two publications: an e-book titled Strengthening Community University Research Partnerships: GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES and a manual titled Institutionalizing Community University Research Partnerships. These open-access resources synthesize the findings and are available for free download here.

For more information, contact:
Dr. Crystal Tremblay, Research Coordinator for the UNESCO Chair in CBR and Social Responsibility in Higher Education.
Email: crystaltre@gmail.com