Expanding Universities' Public Purpose
In 2023, a working group was organized to promote cross-border dialogues among civic leaders at universities in Bangladesh, Chile, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, and Pakistan. In 2024, the group convened 50 higher education leaders from 22 countries to explore and synthesize the different models that institutions employ as frontline responders. Participants also released a call to action encouraging higher education institutions around the world to develop ways to structure their research, teaching, and service practices to address urgent local issues.
Universities as Frontline Responders: A Call to Action
The Call to Action lays the foundation for a model that bridges the gap between academia and real-world problems through engaged research, foregrounding community-based teaching and experiential learning, and supporting students as they develop professional skills for ethical and effective crisis management. The white paper also strongly suggests that engaged universities operate within networks in coordinated actions that expand their public purpose beyond teaching and research.