UNESCO Chair in CBR Newsletter - May 2017

Posted May 30, 2017 - 21:03

Here is the latest newsletter from the UNESCO Chair in Community-Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education:

UNESCO Chair in Community Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education
NEWSLETTER

May 2017

The Mpambo African Multiversity in partnership with the UNESCO Chair in Community Based Research, Inclusion Press and the Victoria International Development Association (VIDEA) concluded a week’s events called Confluence 2017 with the installation of the Saaba Kabona (the highest spiritual leader) Jumba Aligaweza of Tondism on May 24, 2017 in ceremonies held in the sacred site of the Walusi Hills in central Uganda.

Read the full blog here: http://unescochair-cbrsr.org/index.php/2017/05/26/mulembe-mutinze-cuusansi-the-great-turning-confluence-2017-exceeds-expectations/

Knowledge Production & Mobilization

Linking impact to the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Assessing 10 years of engaged-scholarship at the University of Victoria

The increasing importance and value of civic engagement in Higher Educational Institutions (HEI) around the world has led to a strong emphasis on evaluating and measuring the impact of these activities, particularly as it relates to the mutual benefit of community and the university. Developing an impact evaluation framework therefore is currently a high priority for many HEI’s in Canada and globally.

To access more UNESCO Chair publications, click here: http://unescochair-cbrsr.org/index.php/resources/

Policy Advocacy

CUExpo’ 2017: A big step forward

The Community University Exposition Conference this year was hosted by Simon Fraser University (SFU), British Columbia, Canada, from May 1-5, 2017. The biennial conference brought together community members, universities, colleges, government and non-profit organizations for fostering research and sharing knowledge. UNESCO Chair team, comprising of Dr Budd Hall and Dr Crystal Tremblay, participated in the conference and delivered several presentations.

Access Dr Budd Hall’s blog on CUExpo 2017 at: http://unescochair-cbrsr.org/index.php/2017/05/08/is-there-a-canadian-approach-to-knowledge-democracy/. Pictures from the event can be accessed here: http://unescochair-cbrsr.org/index.php/photo-gallery/

To know more about the UNESCO Chair activities, refer to the ‘Programs & Initiatives’ section on the UNESCO Chair website. Access it here: http://unescochair-cbrsr.org/

Capacity Enhancement

K4C Consortium moves ahead

UNESCO Chair has decided to move ahead with the creation of the K4C Consortium. It is our intention to take forward the Mentor Training Program (MTP) and in time see the emergence of 8-10 training hubs in various parts of the global South and the excluded North. We are identifying the components of the K4C plan that can be taken forward with existing resources we have available with us and our institutions.

We are also exploring new resources and funding opportunities in different parts of our worlds that can support K4C activities. An India-centric proposal, based largely on the ideas of our global K4C consortium, but tailored to the Indian context has been developed.

Find more information on such training activities conducted by the Chair on the Chair website: http://unescochair-cbrsr.org/

In the News

GUNi World Report on Higher Education in the World 6

The Global University Network for Innovation (GUNi), in March 2017 launched its 6th World Report on Higher Education, titled, ‘Towards a socially responsible university: Balancing the global with the local’, in Barcelona, Spain. UNESCO Co-Chairs Drs Hall & Tandon served in the editorial team of the report. Access the report and read more here: http://unescochair-cbrsr.org/index.php/2017/03/14/guni-launches-its-6th-world-report-on-higher-education-barcelona-spain-march-10-2017/

Social responsibility re-emerges in Indian higher education policy debates

Higher education in India, revered since ancient times, and after witnessing tumultuous periods in between, now seems to be heading in the right direction. Increased social consciousness coupled with policy moves have contributed towards increased relevance of the sector. Read more here: http://unescochair-cbrsr.org/pdf/resource/India_Policy_Brief.pdf

FOIST Laboratory celebrates its 40th anniversary

Designed to support community action and research, FOIST (Formation, Occupation, Information, Services, Territory) Laboratory in Italy was included as one of the exemplar case studies in the UNESCO Chair publication Knowledge & engagement: Building capacity for the next generation of community based researchers (http://unescochair-cbrsr.org/pdf/resource/Knowledge%20&%20Engagement_26-09-16_pdf%20ver-mail.pdf). As the laboratory celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2017, it re-affirms its commitment to civic engagement and looks to bring in new innovations to promote social responsibility in higher education. Dr Budd Hall visited the laboratory recently and penned down his thoughts on the visit, available at: http://unescochair-cbrsr.org/index.php/2017/03/20/celebrating-40-years-of-community-based-research-with-foist-a-visit-to-sassari-sardinia-italy/

Books Alert

Putting knowledge to work: Collaborating, influencing & learning for international development

This book explores how the brains of such organizations actually function to deliver outcomes and impacts. This book is a useful resource for students and researchers in the field of international development, and those who work at CSOs, in government, and for philanthropic organizations. Edited by Dr Luc A Mougeot, IDRC, Canada; the e-book is available at: https://idl-bnc-idrc.dspacedirect.org/bitstream/handle/10625/55964/IDL-55964.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

People’s knowledge and participatory action research: Escaping the White-walled labyrinth
This book narrates the story of research participation and engagement, written and edited for the most part by those on the receiving end. The authors of this book are mainly non-academics, who open up new dimensions of understanding by sharing their perspectives on the production and validation of knowledge. The book is open access, and available at: http://www.peoplesknowledge.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Peoples-Knowledge-and-Participatory-Action-Research-Book.pdf

The Spanish version is available at: http://www.peoplesknowledge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/PK-ESP-Escaping-the-white-walled-labyrinth.pdf

To know more about what is happening across the world in the field of community engagement, community based research and social responsibility in higher education, click here: http://unescochair-cbrsr.org/index.php/category/in-the-news/

Meet the UNESCO Co-Chairs @

Dr Rajesh Tandon @ Community Engagement Conference, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa: May 31- June 2, 2017. For details, click here: http://unescochair-cbrsr.org/index.php/events/community-engagement-conference-2017-south-africa/

Dr Budd Hall & Dr Rajesh Tandon @ ARNA Conference 2017, Bogota & Cartagena, Columbia, June 6-16, 2017. For details, click here: http://unescochair-cbrsr.org/index.php/events/arna-conference-2017/

Dr Rajesh Tandon @ Talloires Network Leaders Conference 2017, Veracruz, Mexico, June 20-23, 2017. For details, click here: http://unescochair-cbrsr.org/index.php/events/talloires-network-leadership-conference-tnlc-2017/

To know more about the upcoming engagements of the Co-chair and the Chair team, click here: http://unescochair-cbrsr.org/index.php/events-3/