University Community Engagement (UCE) Cluster

Introduction

The University-Community Engagement is a cluster formed under the Division of Industry and Community Network (BJIM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). The cluster consists of USM staffs who champion initiative, effort and activities that focus on establishing the university as a responsible, relevant and active partner of the community in addressing the needs of the society. The cluster facilitates collaboration between USM staffs, students, as well as alumnus and the community for meaningful university-community engagements.

University seeks mutually beneficial relationships with communities in addressing communities’ issues and needs. The approach to community engagement must be effective and it must go beyond outreach, extension or service.  In tandem with the APEX agenda to transform the ‘Bottom Billion’, the Division of Industry & Community Network (BJIM) has taken proactive approaches in networking and partnering with industry and community. The aim is to be an agent of change that brings industry, government agencies and NGOs together to strengthen and empower communities.

Strategy

The purpose of UCE Cluster is to create awareness, inculcate interest and voluntary participation from all parties including university staff, local as well as international community.  It is to create an effective, meaningful and sustainable community engagement through socio-economic programmes, education, health, environment and cultural activities/projects towards the development of society.

Objectives:

• To promote the concept and practice of university community engagement.
• To plan, promote and assist university-community engagement activities, projects and programs involving PTJs of the university. 
• To encourage university-community engagement projects in line with the APEX agenda.
• To organise capacity building programs on university-community engagement.
• To nurture an environment that is conducive for community engagement to take place and to flourish.
• To disseminate and share experiences of good practices in community engagement.
• To promote scholarly aspect and knowledge transfer into UCE activities.
• To capitalise on indigenous knowledge to ensure all community project must have mutual benefits.
• To raise the socio economic status of the bottom billion through UCE project.
• To encourage projects that feature environmental sustainability.

Main Activities

UCE cluster acts as the secretariat to assist BJIM, USM and among others undertake the following activities as a strategy to achieve the objectives:

• To organise workshops on awareness of the concept and direction of university-community engagement programme and to attract staff, students and alumni who wish to engage in the programme.
• Provide a standard operating procedure (SOP) as a guideline in approving the application for BJIM’s university-community engagement project.
• Evaluate new applications for BJIM’s university-community engagement projects and provide recommendations to the higher authority for their decision.  
• Monitor and evaluate the progress of all BJIM’s university-community engagement projects that have been approved and make recommendations to higher authority for their decision.
• Provide a database for all BJIM’s university-community engagement projects undertaken by USM staffs whether it is sponsored by USM or other parties.
• To jointly organise University-Community Engagement Conference (UCEC) with members of the Asia-Pacific University-Community Engagement Network (APUCEN).
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