NEW! Case Study Compendium now available

The second intellectual output of the Erasmus+ project SEU - Socially Engaged Universities is now available: the Case Study Compendium, coordinated by Ghent University.

Building on the findings from State-of-the-Art Review (IO1), which brought examples of community-university partnerships in the different project countries, the Case Study Compendium now explores more in depth a series of innovations recently (or currently) carried out within the partner institutions of the SEU project: Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

For each innovation, a detailed Case Study was produced identifying factors such as “why this approach was taken?”, “what were the results?”, “what worked (and didn’t)?” and “what are the lessons learned that could inform similar exercises?”. Each of these real-world practical examples of partnerships between universities and their communities, could be reproduced, either in part or in whole elsewhere.

Each of the SEU members presents a case study:

- Belgium: City of People project in Ghent. This innovative action aimed to deal with loneliness in elderly citizens through social and technological innovations.

- Germany: Kustodie Project and in:takt in Magdeburg. These are two separate, but interrelated projects. Firstly, the student Kustodie Project works on the establishment of a university-specific collection of academic and scientific artefacts, with the aim of making them accessible to a non-scientific public. Secondly, the project in:takt strives for a critical reflection on Magdeburg’s city centre and for the enhancement of the city’s cultural life through the temporary usa of urban vacancy in the city centre of Magdeburg.

- Italy: the Biodistretto in Parma. This case shows the importance of bringing small organic producers and consumer associations together in order to increase and promote organic and sustainable agriculture. The role of the university as a neutral institution has been pivotal in coordinating and facilitating the process and to ensure credibility and legitimacy.

- The Netherlands: the City Deal on Education in Delft. This is an important and innovative way in which cities, research universities and universities of applied sciences collaborate on an equal basis in finding solutions for major social and urban challenges.

- The United Kingdom: Exeter Culture in Exeter. It is a unique non-constituted group of partners representing the arts, creative industries, education, environment, food, health, heritage, libraries, museums, retail, sport and tourism.

For each of these cases, the Compendium provides a short summary, background information, details on the structure, process, outcomes and impact, and future outlook. Finally, it rounds up with some conclusions and lessons learned. In the overall conclusion, the aim is to reflect on the most important lessons that were learned and look towards the future of partnerships between higher education institutions and cities across Europe.

Case Study Compendium

Also available from the "Download" section of the SEU website.

NEW! Case Study Compendium now available

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