January / February 2018 Newsletter - Talloires Network of Engaged Universities

Talloires Network Newsletter
Tufts University || Medford, Massachusetts, USA || February 13, 2018

Dear Colleagues,

I hope that 2018 is off to a good start for all of you. We are excited to begin the year with new leadership on the Steering Committee, continued growth in Engaged Membership, and the promise of greater impact on higher education internationally.

Many thanks to everyone who voted to elect new members to serve on the Steering Committee and to all the candidates who stood for election. Please join me in welcoming Mabel O. Imbuga, Vice Chancellor of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in Kenya and Nisar Ahmed Siddiqui, Vice Chancellor of Sukkur IBA University in Pakistan to the Steering Committee.

The Talloires Network will continue to work closely with its 38 Engaged Members in 23 countries to chart and carry out the strategic direction of the Network. We welcome seven new Engaged Members who have committed to supporting the Network’s operations and long-term sustainability: Ahfad University for Women (Sudan), Kenyatta University (Kenya), The University of Manchester (England), Saint Monica University (Cameroon), Sukkur Institute of Business and Administration (Pakistan), Virtual University of Pakistan, and University of the Western Cape (South Africa).

I am pleased to announce that the Network will build on the Irish Pilot by working in partnership with Brown University to expand the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification internationally. Institutional, evidence-based data collection and documentation of community engagement activities are a vital step in elevating universities’ commitment to the public good and incorporating new measurements into the global ranking systems.

For the ninth consecutive year, the Talloires Network and the MacJannet Foundation will award the MacJannet Prize for Global Citizenship. The prize recognizes and provides financial support for exceptional community engagement programs. Previous first-place winners include programs at engaged universities in Pakistan, Mexico, Lebanon, and Malaysia. Nominations for this year’s prize are due 30 March 2018.

If you have not done so already, I encourage you to read about the Talloires Network’s 2017 accomplishments and major events, including our global leaders conference report.

Best wishes for a productive and peaceful academic year.

Sincerely,
Anthony P. Monaco
President, Tufts University

TALLOIRES NETWORK NEWS

Meet the TN Steering Committee

New leadership signifies the opportunity to expand and think strategically about the future direction of the Network. In December, members voted to elect two new members to serve on the Steering Committee: Nisar Ahmed Siddiqui, Vice Chancellor at Sukkur IBA University (Pakistan) and Mabel O. Imbuga, Vice Chancellor at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (Kenya). Learn more about them and other members of the Steering Committee!

TALLOIRES NETWORK OPPORTUNITIES

MacJannet Prize for Global Citizenship 2018

Nominations for the 2018 MacJannet Prize are now being accepted! The annual MacJannet Prize recognizes and provides financial support for exceptional community engagement initiatives at Engaged Member campuses. We believe community engagement is most impactful when there are sustained and mutually beneficial partnerships between university faculty and students and local partners. We have received nearly 500 nominations since the inception of the prize in 2009. Submit a nomination!

PAPERS AND PUBLICATIONS

Report: Human Dignity and Social Responsibility in Higher Education Engagement (TNLC 2017)

The 2017 Talloires Network Leaders Conference in Xalapa, Veracruz was an opportunity for leaders typically separated by borders and language to exchange ideas and work together to mobilize higher education as a force for addressing the world’s most pressing societal challenges. Learn about their discussions and commitments here.

Post: Social Responsibility and Student Engagement at the University of Rwanda

Lead by Mapendo Mindje, student representative of the Talloires Network Steering Committee and staff member at the University of Rwanda, around 400 students from different disciplines under the college of Agriculture, Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine gathered in a one-day session to work on community service projects. Together with mentors, and other staff they discussed how each discipline can generate projects for the benefit of the community. Learn more.

Report: Global Youth Strategic Planning, A Catalyst for Transformation

In partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, the Talloires Network collaborated with Engaged Member university, Universidad Veracruzana to develop the Elephant Initiative, a fellowship program that engaged youth in a participatory strategic planning process. Read the report.

Films: Youth Economic Participation Initiative (YEPI)

The Talloires Network, in partnershipwith What Took You So Long (WTYSL), a global community of filmmakers, has produced four YEPI Films. They feature the relationship between universities and surrounding communities through YEPI program participant stories and insights. Learn more about university entrepreneurship education in Pakistan, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

Paper: Mobilizing Community and Academic Knowledge for Transformative Change

Dr. Budd Hall and Dr. Rajesh Tandon, Co-Chairs of the UNESCO Chair in Community Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education wrote a reflection paper on the influence and impact in policy and practice they have been able to achieve. Read the paper.

NEWS AND CONFERENCES

Deliberative Civic Engagement: Ongoing Collaboration between the Kettering Foundation and the Talloires Network

The Talloires Network and the Kettering Foundation began a series of exchanges on the topic of dialogue and deliberation approaches to civic engagement that are led by universities around the world. Learn more.

The International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE) conference registration is open. The theme of this year’s conference is Just Research: Inclusivity and Intersectionality. The conference will take place July 18 – 20, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Learn more.

Report on The Future of Undergraduate Education by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

With the changing nature of U.S. education, institutions need to adapt their teaching to be more purposeful, effective, and efficient. The study titled, “The Future of Undergraduate Education,” by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences provides recommendations to ensure students receive the education they need to succeed in today’s society. Learn more.

Lawrence S. Bacow, 12th President of Tufts University (2001-2011) named Harvard University President

Lawrence S. Bacow, the 12th President of Tufts University (2001-2011) who convened the conference of higher education leaders in 2005 to initiate the Talloires Network, was named Harvard University’s 29th president. Read more.

NEWS FROM ENGAGED MEMBERS

TN Engaged Members attend University Social Responsibility Network Executive Meeting in Hong Kong

TN Engaged Members including University of Manchester and University of Pretoria participated in the University Social Responsibility Network’s third Executive Committee meeting, which was hosted by Hong Kong Polytechnic University. They discussed USRN’s major activities and its future focus. Learn more.

Apply to participate in the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification International Pilot

In partnership with Brown University’s Swearer Center, the Talloires Network would like to invite TN Members to apply for the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification International pilot. The Carnegie Foundation’s Classification for Community Engagement involves institutional data collection and documentation of important community engagement activities. TN Engaged Members will receive an application fee waiver (1,000 USD). Learn more.