The Role of University Community Engagement Programs in Influencing Higher Education Outcomes and Community Development: An Insight from Uganda

Abbas Kisambira; Babirye Khadijah; Aniku Ahmed M M

doi:10.21467/exr.4.1.8028

Authors

Abbas Kisambira Department of Food science and Nutrition, Islamic University in Uganda, Main campus. P.O. Box 2555, Mbale, Uganda
Babirye Khadijah Department of Food science and Nutrition, Islamic University in Uganda, Main campus. P.O. Box 2555, Mbale, Uganda
Aniku Ahmed M M Department of Internal Audit, Islamic University in Uganda. P.O. Box 2555, Mbale, Uganda

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21467/exr.4.1.8028

Abstract

A specialised approach to academic research, teaching, and learning known as community engagement entails actively involving communities in cooperative initiatives that improve university teaching, learning, and research objectives while also addressing the needs and opportunities of the community. In this paper, we investigate how university community involvement positively impacts higher education results and community development, primarily using one Ugandan public university and one Ugandan private university as examples. The concept of university community engagement, as well as its advantages and drawbacks for the institution, students, and community at large, were addressed in the present study. Communities gain from university community engagement as members and organisations from the community share and integrate their knowledge with that of faculty and students, resulting in an improved understanding of community issues and the development of collective capacity to address them, producing either or both short-term impacts and long-term transformational change. University community participation benefits students by enhancing learning possibilities that can result in new and improved outcomes in terms of academic learning, development of skills and competences, leadership, and good citizenship. Enhancing teaching and learning possibilities, growing student enrolment and retention, co-creating new information and ideas, providing opportunities for research, and improving the university's reputation are all advantages for the higher education institution. Despite the aforementioned advantages, community participation is associated with a reproach of being more difficult, expensive, and possibly problematic than conventional approaches of knowledge and instruction. Better methods for recording and communicating academic progress are required, and there’s need to expand our awareness of important community engagement outcomes outside of the academic sphere. To promote sustainable community development and improve higher education outcomes, established and future higher education institutions must completely embrace and strengthen their community participation to a global scale.

Keywords:

Community engagement, University outreach, University-Industry Linkage

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