Engagement — the co-creation, co-discovery, and co-development of solutions — is crucial to the land grant mission of the University of Nebraska. Engagement brings Nebraska to the world, and the world to Nebraska through a university where students, faculty, staff, and alumni are actively engaged across Nebraska and beyond. It is imperative that the university embrace a culture of engagement and partnership that generates genuine mutual benefit both in Nebraska and across the world while creating extraordinary opportunities for students, alumni, industry, community partners, faculty, and staff to contribute to the public good.
University Engagement Activities Aspire to Follow These Principles*
Mutually Agree
Mutually agreed-upon sets of goals, operating principles, and expectations.
Using the form below can help partnerships determine their goals, principles, and expectations.
Summary of ExpectationsClarity
Clarity of communication, leadership, power sharing, and decision-making.
The form below will help clarify communication expectations.
Communication PreferencesParticipation
Promotion of active and representative participation.
Sustained Work
Sustained commitment, collaboration, and willingness to learn and grow together while working toward the long-term sustainability and well-being of the community.
Investment
Investment of time and money and/or other needed resources to bring about community capacity building and leadership enhancement.
Active Learning
Active and respectful engagement of communities in learning and understanding community issues and the economic, social, environmental, political, psychological, and other impacts associated with alternative courses of action.
The desire to broaden Nebraska's engagement in community, industry, and global partnerships is a part of the N|2025 plan. Learn more about the N|2025 Strategic plan at https://n2025.unl.edu/.
Engagement Definition
Community engagement describes collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities (local, regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity. The purpose of community engagement is the partnership of college and university knowledge and resources with those of the public and private sectors to enrich scholarship, research, and creative activity; enhance curriculum, teaching, and learning; prepare educated, engaged citizens; strengthen democratic values and civic responsibility; address critical societal issues; and contribute to the public good. (Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education)
Footnotes
*A big thank you to our colleagues at Purdue University, Office of Engagement, where we borrowed heavily for our community engagement principles.
Bringle et al., 2009; Campus Community Partnerships for Health, 2006; Community Development Society's Principles of Good Practice; Enos & Morton, 2003