The Summer Institute is designed to bring together participants from universities and community-based organizations around the country. University-community research teams are encouraged to apply for participation. Each institute provides a five-day training designed to introduce participatory action research (PAR) to graduate students, faculty, and members of community-based organizations. The trainings run May 27-31, 2014, and June 9-13, 2014 at the CUNY Graduate Center in New York City.

More than half the population of the world is now living in urban habitats. Asia is the fastest growing region in urbanization with inequalities, poverty, insecurity and exclusion amidst abundance and prosperity. In the past decade, nearly half a billion Asians have moved to urban habitations, and the trend continues. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have historically been recognised to serve public goods, with unique social responsibilities in producing knowledge for societal development.