The Need for a UBC CE Strategy

At UBC there are many scholars engaged in community-based work, a significant presence of quality relationships, and numerous faculties and units that have increasingly embraced and defined CE as part of their core work and vision. This is happening in the absence of a CE strategic plan and is a tremendous strength. At the same time, CE at UBC is described by some as:

• Disconnected micro communities doing individual projects that have limited to no knowledge of what others at UBC are doing;
• Sometimes hidden from the institution – which is seen as rule-bound and putting up barriers to CE work;
• Recognized only within a narrow definition of CE, which tends to exclude, limit, or oversimplify some community engagements;
• Defined only as service, rather than being an approach to research, teaching/learning and service;
• Used by units at UBC as part of a public relations exercise without taking a critical, scholarly approach to the work;
• Often dismissed, over simplified and undervalued; and
• Causing members of external communities, particularly the most vulnerable, to feel used; there can be a sense that the university benefits but external communities do not.

The comments above point to aspects of current practice and culture that can be improved. As suggested by some, the CE strategy has the opportunity to:

• Create awareness that CE is scholarly work, and supports the other core commitments of Student Learning and Research Excellence;
• Develop ways to see how the specific CE work of faculty, staff and students fits into a larger, university-wide framework (i.e. connecting self-identity to institutional identity).
• Respect the value of time invested in building relations;
• Build on areas where CE is already seen as ‘part of the DNA’ of a discipline;
• Be more aware of how UBC connects and contributes to society and how society in turn contributes to UBC;
• Build structures and an institutional culture that supports CE work across UBC;
• Leverage existing expertise and resources by creating stronger connections and networks; and
• Shift the overall perception of CE from being the “right thing to do” to being “core to what we do”.

Through engagement we can shift the established framework of higher education to a stronger level of societal relevance that transforms us into a stronger wealthier and more equitable society while advancing institutional goals.

UBC has the opportunity to be a Canadian pioneer in bringing institution-wide recognition of and support for community engagement to a top tier research institution.⁴