The challenging Australian policy context for university engagement

• Published in: Journal of higher education policy and management Vol. 37; no. 5; pp. 477 - 489
• Main Author: Barker, Karen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 03.09.2015; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Australia; Benchmarking; Benchmarks; Citizen participation; Colleges & universities; Education policy; Educational Change; Educational Policy; Financial Support; Foreign Countries; Funding; Government role; Guidelines; Higher education; Institutional Mission; Policy implementation; Public policy; School Community Relationship; Strategic Planning; third mission; third-stream funding; Universities; University administration; University community relationship; University cooperation; university engagement; university mission; University planning; university strategy; Australia
• ISSN: 1360-080X; 1469-9508
• DOI: 10.1080/1360080X.2015.1079384

Despite the current broad agreement amongst Australian universities that engagement is now a core activity, the implications of that commitment are yet to be fully realised. The difficulties many universities face in articulating engagement as a strategic priority begin with the conceptual and definitional issues around the third mission and its shifting nomenclature. Government policy has provided little support and guidance around the definition and scope of engagement, while the lack of mandatory formal reporting on engagement outcomes and of dedicated base funding for engagement has hampered the development of benchmarks that could provide a sector-wide framework for engagement practices between universities and communities. This weak policy environment has contributed to the peripheralisation of engagement at the institutional level despite efforts within universities to make it a strategic priority.