COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ENGAGED SCHOLARSHIP AT STADIO

STADIO recognises the profound and transformative power of community engagement for higher education.  As we interrogate the UNESCO ethos of higher education as a public good, we begin to increasingly embrace the understanding that the soul of a higher education institution is more than just being an institution of learning – higher education institutions are vibrant communities, incubators of social consciousness, and catalysts for positive change.  The impact and value of community engagement can be huge, enriching not only our students but equally our academics and the broader society that we serve. 

Against this backdrop, every School at STADIO is required to participate in a community engagement project that advances teaching and learning and/or research.  Projects are conceptualised, considered in the Schools, and approved by the formal Senate Community Engagement Committee (CEC).  Project achievement is then monitored through the CEC and reports shared with Senate.  The projects are shaped by the undergirding principle of fostering a deeper understanding of community issues.  Involvement in the project nurtures a sense of responsibility, a better understanding of the community being served and serviced, and a culture of civic duty.  The various projects seek to empower students to become active, informed citizens and leaders who are equipped to address the challenges of our time.

As STADIO builds its footprint, it recognises that community engagement is the bridge that connects academic theory with real-world practice, while engaged scholarship closes the loop serving as the link between real-world practice and academic scholarship.  It is critical that as we identify projects, we look to the local communities – those in the immediate vicinity of our institutions.  Positive engagement fosters mutual respect, understanding, and trust, creating a symbiotic relationship where both the institution and the community grow and thrive together.

Someone once described community engagement as one of the greatest hoaxes perpetrated by universities on society – it is a billboard that is held up by institutions in marketing materials and annual reports.  That is not the STADIO way.