The Expanding Business of the Entrepreneurial University: Job Creation

This chapter explores the role of universities in job creation. It does this by taking two approaches. The first is to look at how the university sees its role as expanding from traditional first and second mission activities to encompass third mission activities including industry engagement and how this supports job creation and economic development. The second approach is to examine how new jobs are created in a geographic region or country, and the role that the university can play in support of this. Typical third mission activities such as incubators, technology transfer, and science parks are also examined; including the role of government support and incentives

Principles of Collaborative Education Research with Stakeholders: Toward Requirements for a New Research and Development Infrastructure

A group of collaborative forms of education research sits uneasily within the existing infrastructure for research and development in the United States. Members of this group hold themselves to account to ways of working with schools, families, and communities different from the research models promoted in U.S. policies and endorsed by U.S. federal agencies. Those models privilege individual investigators&rsquo; priorities for research and regularly yield products and findings with little relevance to practice. Four such models are reviewed in this paper: the Strategic Education Research Partnership, Design-Based Implementation Research, Improvement Science within Networked Improvement Communities, and Community-Based Design Research. Through a participatory process involving developers and advocates for these group members&rsquo; approaches, we identified a set of interconnected principles related to collaboration, problem solving, and research. Further, we reviewed evidence for the embodiment of these principles in from four U.S. projects belonging to these approaches by examining a total of 13 journal articles, reports, and book chapters published between 2008 and 2018. Understanding, building, and supporting enactments of these principles is a worthwhile endeavor because there is evidence that these approaches to research can promote agency and equity in education. However, supporting these principles requires criteria for judging quality, which peers can use to evaluate individual studies or sets of research; new outcomes by which to measure progress; new venues for developing and giving accounts of research; and an appreciation for the value of developing and cultivating relationships with educators, families, and communities as an integral part of research.</p

Can local knowledge make the difference? Rethinking university's community engagement and prospect for sustainable development

Against the backdrop of Africa's quest for development, there have been emerging demands for its universities to do more in contributing to development drives beyond their immediate sphere of operation. Drawing on an instrumental case study within an African community, this paper heartens a reconsideration of African universities' community engagement as a catalyst for sustainable development. It ascertains that it would be beneficial to the university and its mission to foster sustainable development when local voices are assimilated within its knowledge creation, diffusion and societal engagement objectives. Whilst this has the potential to instigate the university's engagement to address local and regional concerns and promote relevant development, this would be predicated on targeted collaborative engagement frameworks, underpinned by mutual trust

The Civic University. A Legal and Policy Vacuum?

El presente artículo ofrece un análisis de las políticas y la normativa que dan soporte al concepto de la universidad cívica (Goddard, 2009) desde una perspectiva histórica e internacional, así como desarrolla lo que se entiende por la “universidad cívica”, atendiendo a la literatura existente. Partiendo de contextos tanto internacionales como europeos, se presenta el caso de Irlanda es analizando igualmente sus bases políticas y legislativas, lo que permite poner de manifiesto tanto los retos como las oportunidades que podrían reforzar potencialmente el concepto y la práctica de la “universidad cívica”. El artículo aboga a favor de articular múltiples niveles de políticas y de legislación con el fin de llevar a cabo la puesta en práctica del compromiso cívico en la Educación Superior.This article offers an analysis of historic and international policy and legislation that underpin the concept of the civic university (Goddard, 2009) and understandings of what is meant by the ‘civic university’ drawing form the literature. Drawing from both international and European contexts, Ireland is presented as a case study from policy and legislative bases that highlight both the challenges and opportunities that could potentially buttress the concept and practice of the ‘civic university’. The article argues for multiple layers of policy and legislation so as to enact the practice of civic engagement within higher education.Grupo FORCE (HUM-386). Departamento de Didáctica y Organización Escolar de la Universidad de Granad

The effect of resident attitudes, social capital, and stakeholder engagement on rural tourism development in West Virginia.

While rural tourism has been a prominent topic of tourism research sine the 1970’s, more research is needed to further identify key factors for success and methodologies successful in achieving both theoretical and practical outcomes that can advance field of study. This study attempted to apply a mixed methods approach, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methods to explore factors for success by gathering data from a wide range of stakeholders attempting to triangulate results using a transdisciplinary approach. Multi-stakeholder engagement (key informants, local residents, and visitors) in the tourism development process is essential in identifying opportunities and challenges and appropriate methods to develop, manage, and market sustainable rural tourism as a component of a diversified rural economy. The goal of this study is to identify, explore, and describe key variables for success in developing sustainable rural tourism. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed engaging a transdisciplinary team of faculty from West Virginia University and local stakeholders and organizations in Tucker County, West Virginia. Tucker County, WV was chosen as the study area due to its diversity of rural tourism attractions, active engagement by local stakeholders, opportunities and challenges it faces due to recent infrastructure improvements, and development of a Cultural District Authority (CDA) positioned to guide and support sustainable tourism development. Interviews were conducted with key informants; surveys were administered to local residents, visitors, and local businesses to better understand demographics, perceptions, preferences, and opinions; and design workshops were convened to identify factors for success in developing sustainable tourism in this rural destination. The first study utilized qualitative research methods which included 30 in-depth semi-structured individual interviews with key informants representing a range of tourism-related organizations involved in destination marketing and management. The second study utilized quantitative research methods to analyze the effect of social capital on resident attitudes toward tourism and support for tourism development based on data collected from 637 local residents. Structural equation modeling and ANOVA were utilized as analysis methods. The third study utilized a transdisciplinary team of West Virginia University faculty employing a mixed methods approach that included key informant interviews; surveys of visitors and residents, an economic impact assessment of local business, and social design workshops to visualize development opportunities including site design and development of a cultural identity. Results are subdivided into sections. In terms of key informants and destination management findings revealed a clear separation of marketing and management roles and responsibilities with separate organizations created with a primary mission for each role. Destination management challenges included maintaining authenticity and sense of place, staffing and quality personnel, pursuing target markets that minimize negative tourism impact and appreciate the uniqueness of the region, coordination, cooperation, and partnerships between businesspersons, local leadership, and rural tourism entrepreneurs, respect for local residents and positive economic impact for the community, and economic diversification. A destination management framework was developed based on the outcomes of the stakeholder analysis in order to define a structure for the roles and responsibilities for destination marketing and management activities. In addition, the study makes an important contribution to the existing body of literature on resident attitudes toward tourism and support for tourism by revealing the need to consider a common vision and participation in local organizations and informal social groups in addition to long-term planning, protection of community values, growth management, and the social and environmental impacts of tourism in order to secure resident support for tourism development. The transdisciplinary mixed methods study corroborated findings of the destination’s opportunities and challenges through triangulation and allowed for engagement with more people and diverse stakeholders. Corroborated findings included the need for long term planning and managed growth; protecting community values; underutilized natural, cultural, and historic assets; the opportunity to develop nature-based, cultural, and historical attractions; and the need for a common vision and collective identity. This study makes a unique contribution to literature on mixed methods and transdisciplinary sustainable tourism development by incorporating social design into a transdisciplinary rural tourism planning project. The study concludes with recommendations for participatory planning to guide and support sustainable rural tourism development. Based on the results of the research and design activities the CDA adopted four tenets - Protect, Connect, Enhance, and Promote the Culture of Tucker County - and outlined its goals, objectives, and strategies in a performance agenda to guide the CDA’s efforts as it works to achieve its vision of successfully implementing a community-led cultural tourism plan

University Industry Knowledge Exchange and Academics' Professional Development

This study aims to investigate Knowledge Exchange as part of HE academics’ role and if it can serve the goals of professional development for academics. The broader purpose is to evaluate the value of University Industry Knowledge Exchange (UIKE) and Professional Development (PD) functions, from academics’ perspective and to investigate how these functions can facilitate academics to cope up with emerging expectations from external and internal stakeholders. Incorporating literature from Human Resource Management and Teacher Training, the study takes a deeper look at academics’ professional practices and proposes a more holistic approach to PD beyond a discrete and resource intensive function. The methodology chosen for this qualitative study is guided by its research question. The data was collected by carrying out twenty one-on-one semi-structured interviews of academics, selected on a predetermined criterion. The interview guide was developed applying a rigorous three step validation process. The data analysis was carried out using Gioia’s Inductive logic approach to interpretive grounded theory, where the focus had been on the in-depth analysis of the interviews to develop data structures and establishing their interrelationships. The software programme NVIVO-12 was used for data management and analysis.A vast majority of the participants supported the idea of KE being central to their professional practice and also offering an ongoing PD opportunity. Moreover, they also agreed on the need for a more aligned and robust support system to encourage voluntary engagement in KE activities. Based on Person-Environment Fit theory, the study has concluded Six Dimensions of academic-HEI fit that can facilitate establishing an environment conducive for enhancing academics’ participation in KE. The model provides six dimensions of fit three of them are at an institutional level, namely governance-fit, strategic-fit and function-fit and other three are at an individual level, namely design-fit, HR-fit anddevelopment-fit. It proposes an integrated view of PD for academics, as part of academics’ job routine such as related to teaching and learning, research and other community engagement activities that in turn enhances students’ experiences.An immense amount of research is already available on the topic of PD for academics which is largely based on the analysis of various formal PD activities; this research, however, contributes to the existing body of knowledge by focusing on informal and academics’ driven PD function. It advocates for a proactive, dynamic and work-integrated approach to PD function. The study investigates PD for and through UIKE activities, which is a novice perspective and provides an opportunity to contribute to the two increasingly important fields of HE studies. The study attempts to offer a developmental view of UIKE and argues for establishing an organizational internal environment that is conducive for academics’ participation in KE. The study has accounted for various forms of KE activities under one umbrella, further research can be carried out to investigate the value of each form of KE activity for PD purposes. The study has presented the HE-side of KE, further studies can be carried out incorporating the industry side of KE and its impact on their employees’ professional development function, respectively

How Town Engages Gown: Engagement and Collaboration Between Local Governments and Institutions of Higher Education

This dissertation analyzes the engagement between universities and their respective municipalities. Although a sizable amount of research has explored relationships between town and gown, we still lack a clear understanding of why engagement works better between some universities and municipalities but not for others. This dissertation argues that university engagement with local governments, while a necessary and increasingly important part of institutional activities, cannot be effective unless it is done in earnest collaboration with the localities. Short of collaboration, engagement between town and gown only exists as a unilateral relationship, which despite its actual benefits, undermines trust and can cause frustration for both parties. The study contributes to the growing literature advocating a shift away from a paternalistic diffusion of resources from universities toward localities by analyzing a collaborative approach to engagement. Employing a cross-sectional study of 122 universities and municipalities, this dissertation examines how the collaborative capacity of each of the two parties impacts their perceptions of engagement and collaboration. Additionally, using 62 local government-university pairs, the study explores the factors that affect the proclivity of parties to agree on their levels of engagement and consider it mutually beneficial. Finally, semi-structured interviews with university administrators and local government officials sheds light on how the understanding of engagement might differ between the two institutions and explores the factors that can help or hinder the collaboration process. The quantitative analysis revealed that leadership and trust are positively associated with engagement, while the measure of shared vision was most positively associated with collaboration. Qualitative findings demonstrate that town-gown engagement often carries a different meaning, which is largely dependent on an institutional vantage point. Overall, the findings of this dissertation establish that collaboration is the mechanism through which the independent parties of institutions of higher education and local governments work together to achieve results that they would not otherwise be able to independently achieve on their own

Engaging the community in community engagement : community partners, mutual benefit, and reciprocity in community-university partnerships

Community engagement in higher education has continued to increase and adapt to the needs and changes in society. Through community-university partnerships, colleges and universities are able to engage with their communities through mutually beneficial and reciprocal relationships. While research has included the experiences of higher education administrators and faculty members in this engagement, few empirical studies have addressed the experiences, perspective, and voice of community partners in community-university partnerships. As a result, this study adds to the needed empirical research on community engagement in higher education from the community side of the partnership. Three research questions guided this study: (1) How do community agents define mutually beneficial and reciprocal community-university partnerships? (2) How do community agents, who represent community partners with the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement at The University of Texas at Austin, make meaning of their experiences in a community-university partnership? And (3) How do community agents’ experiences connect to their definition of mutually beneficial and reciprocal community-university partnerships? Through a qualitative approach using phenomenology, this study focused on the lived experiences of long-standing community partners in community-university partnerships at a four-year public research institution with an institutionalized community engagement division. Hearing the community voice in community engagement is an oft-cited need in community engagement literature. Using a conceptual framework based on complementing theories to understand community-university partnerships, this research study underscores the experiences of community partners through findings including: creating a community in community engagement; context matters; the need for knowledge; it is all about relationships; and contextualization of terminology. The experiences of the community partners in this study reaffirm findings in the extant literature as well as add to the greater focus of the community perspective in community engagement based in the academy.Educational Administratio

Institutional processes to determine community engagement impact : a collective case study.

This qualitative, collective case study is designed to examine the processes by which urban, metropolitan institutions determine the impact their community engagement has within the local community. The study addresses the lack of research on community engagement at the institutional level, the processes that track and coordinate engagement, as well as the perspectives of community partners in this work. Research is more developed regarding individual engagement activities and student learning outcomes than it is to institutional accountability structures or community impact. Studies that center the institution as the unit of analysis are needed to address these limitations in research and practice. A collective case study using grounded theory was designed to address the research question. The use of grounded theory aligns with the exploratory nature of the research, allowing for data from institutional contexts to inform an area of research with limited models and theories. Three institutions were selected as cases to provide comparative data. Multiple data sources informed each case. Data were collected over eight months, including a two-month pilot phase to revise interview protocols and planned implementation. Findings across cases indicate that institutional processes vary, and determining the extent and impact of their community engagement efforts at the local level are limited. Respondents in all cases noted pockets of high engagement activity, and in some cases subsequent assessment, but these levels vary in quantity and quality. The capacity to determine impact was cited up to the individual project, program, or course level. Respondents further suggested the ability to identify, track, and report these activities, creating an institutional narrative on a particular area of impact, was limited without greater institutionalization of engagement. Community representation and voice in institutional assessment processes were limited or not included, though community input at the unit level was cited across cases. Findings suggest that as institutional capacity for engagement and its assessment builds (i.e. institutionalization), systematic solicitation of community perceptions of impact may serve as a proxy for realized community outcomes. Findings further indicate that greater attention to community engagement assessment can support institutional relevance, productivity, and mission attainment. Conclusions and recommendations for research and practice are presented in the final chapter