Asia-Pacific University-Community Engagement Network (APUCEN)
Universities in the 21st century have the critical mass for potentially making the difference to local and global concerns. While universities have to produce graduates who have skills to function effectively in a globally competitive environment, it is also widely recognised that it is a challenge to provide them with an ethics-based knowledge and to mould them to be responsive to societal needs, so as to contribute to the well-being to its entire people. Indeed the complexities of our unsustainable societies can present new opportunities and challenges for universities to maintain their relevance to society.
Revisiting the roles of universities, vis-a-vis the ways and kinds of knowledge being produced, is vital to building the kind of world we desire. If universities are to achieve their mission to develop and apply knowledge with society in mind, then their core functions have to build not only on an academic base but also upon an intellectual civil base that can offer solutions to societal problems.
Various attempts in different parts of the world have started to address these concerns. An effective and high impact approach is the engagement of universities with communities. Engagement goes beyond outreach and extension or service as universities seek mutually beneficial relationships and partnerships with communities to address communities’ issues and needs; with a commitment to sharing and reciprocity that is guided by mutual respect among the partners. Engagement brings mutual learning and discovery in the co-creation of knowledge with partners. Engaging in and with communities will help faculty, students and administrators develop as discerning citizens who can reflect on and interact in their world with integrity, understanding and committed action. Engagement in its various forms is it through collaborative research, health-care provisions, low-cost innovations, micro-credit, heritage/cultural preservations, service learning, participatory research or community-based research, should be aimed at serving the marginalised two-thirds of the world’s population.
Outstanding examples of such attempts have also build networks and alliances to share good practices like the Commonwealth Universities Extension & Engagement Network, the Living Knowledge Network, the Global Universities Network for Innovation (GUNI), the Talloires Network and the Global Alliance on Community-Engaged Research (GACER).
Since most, if not all of the above networks originate from the developed West, it is proposed that a regional network of universities in the Asia-Pacific region that subscribe to the concept of an engaged institution be set up. It is envisaged that this regional network will better address local/regional issues and problems with approaches/solutions that better suit local/regional cultures and values. In this, the adoption of local wisdom is greatly encouraged.
The Asia-Pacific University-Community Engagement Network (APUCEN) is a regional network of academic institutions concerned with the promoting of the culture of community-university engagement by universities in a proactive holistic and participatory way. It was initiated in the middle of 2010 by the Division of Industry & Community Network, University Sains Malaysia. The establishment of APUCEN is in line with USM’s mission to transform and develop the socio-economic well beings of the world’s marginalised groups, the ‘Bottom Billion’, as well as to establish the university as a relevant and active partner of the community.
Presently, 17 local universities and 17 other universities from 8 countries in the region have joined the network and its official launching is being planned for July 2011. The objectives of the regional network are as follows:-
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To promote and instill community engagement concepts and values to staff and students of institutions of higher learning
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To create capacity building for university-community partnerships
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To disseminate and share information, knowledge, resources and good practices in community engagement
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To implement joint flagship projects
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To collaboratively develop resources to support regional flagship projects
Besides universities, other institutions such as polytechnics and community colleges as well as relevant organisations like NGOs and corporations can be invited to join as associate members.