What does it mean to be a civic university in 2021 and how should institutions improve their public outreach and engagement to increase their value to wider society?
Since the 18th century, universities' civic missions have evolved beyond widening access to higher education to now include public engagement, economic renewal and community outreach.
This week we speak with two experts who are deeply involved in civic activities at their institutions in the UK and in Canada.
Jeremy Read is the CEO of the University of Winnipeg Community Renewal Corporation and UWCRC 2.0 and Carenza Lewis is professor for the Public Understanding of Research and leads the PEARL (Public Engagement for All with Research at Lincoln) initiative at the University of Lincoln.
Whether it’s teaching creative writing and media in a multilingual course or providing future doctors with clinical communication skills, two experts share tips for connecting with students and bridging language and culture divides.
Does the UK general election offer a ray of hope for the beleaguered university sector? Two higher education policy experts give their take on what university leaders can do to make a case for the sector and how a new parliament might tackle hot topics such as international students and research funding.
What happens when a literary scholar turns her attention to local archives such as inventories and court records? English professor Alexandra Harris talks about writing history, uncovering centuries of silent lives for her new book, and the interdisciplinary power of the humanities.
Immersive technology expert Monica Arés explains how the combination of artificial intelligence and extended reality in education has the potential to unlock curiosity and learning, the costs that come with these tools and what she thinks teaching technology will look like in 2034.