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Insights and Current Debates on Community Engagement in Higher Education Institutions: Perspectives on the University of the Western Cape

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  • Fred Bidandi
  • Anthony Nforh Ambe
  • Claudia Haking Mukong

Abstract

This study investigated the insights and current debates on community engagement in higher education institutions with specific reference to the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in South Africa. The article argues that although community engagement seems to present some challenges, it has become an integral part of higher education in South Africa and beyond. The article examines community engagement in higher education institutions and evaluates its contributions based on the research question. The article evaluates community engagement from the perspective of the UWC, community, and students. Data were collected through semi-structured with key informants. In total, 12 participants participated in the interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The results of the study show that community engagement is dependent on institutions’ relationships built between particular communities, which are easily lost if the people involved change. The results also show that community engagement has become a requisite for promotion and policy development. However, it reveals that issues of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) often take time affecting students and researchers. Moreover, the findings indicate that there is no standard procedure for community engagement as departments, individual lecturers, and students have unique and different interests.

Suggested Citation

  • Fred Bidandi & Anthony Nforh Ambe & Claudia Haking Mukong, 2021. "Insights and Current Debates on Community Engagement in Higher Education Institutions: Perspectives on the University of the Western Cape," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(2), pages 21582440211, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:11:y:2021:i:2:p:21582440211011467
    DOI: 10.1177/21582440211011467
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Johnson, Michael P. & Midgley, Gerald & Chichirau, George, 2018. "Emerging trends and new frontiers in community operational research," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 268(3), pages 1178-1191.
    2. Mtawa, Ntimi N. & Fongwa, Samuel N. & Wangenge-Ouma, Gerald, 2016. "The scholarship of university-community engagement: Interrogating Boyer's model," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 126-133.
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    1. Abdullah Almurayh & Saqib Saeed & Nahier Aldhafferi & Abdullah Alqahtani & Madeeha Saqib, 2022. "Sustainable Education Quality Improvement Using Academic Accreditation: Findings from a University in Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-17, December.

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