| Abstract: | Higher education institutions (HEI) are obliged to work in collaboration with communities to
solve social problems, build capacity and contribute to the economic and social development of
local communities. Moreover HEIs are expected to better prepare students for work, adjust
research agendas to work on solving real societal problems and provide service to the
communities where they are located. The purpose of this study was to explore the role that the St
Mary’s University College (SMUC) is playing in solving the problem of the society through its
community-university engagement programs and activities. Data were collected from
coordinator of outreach and community service program, Guidance and counseling officer,
faculty deans, students’ affairs officers, Career and cooperative training unit officer, information
and communication officer, Gender and HIV/AIDs Prevention and Control officer, Academic
Associate vice president who are purposely selected as well as community organizations and
members selected based on their availability and affiliations with the institutions under study.
Rating scale, semi-structured interview and document and web site review were employed to
collect the data. The data obtained from the rating scale were analyzed using percentage
proportion while data from interview, and document & website review were analyzed
qualitatively. Thus concurrent mixed method approach was used to analyze the data. The results
depicted the existence of strong cultures of and leadership supporting community-university
engagement program at SMUC. The institution strives to encourage community university
engagement among it’s (student’s academic community and administrative community).
Consequently SMUC is playing a vital role in addressing different problems of the society
through its various community university engagement programs and activities. However, it
seems that the institution employs traditional model of community university engagement where
teaching and learning, research and community university engagement are conceptualized as
independent component of the higher education. Thus, the actual mechanisms and programs for
this purpose as well as institutional level coordination and support needed to adequately
implement community university engagement efforts need to be further strengthened. |
