This book is a detailed account of a global movement of higher education institutions to increase their civic engagement and social responsibility. Based on self-assessments by and authors’ visits to 20 universities (members of the Talloires Network) around the world, which are committed to directly tackling community problems, the book examines their engaged scholarship objectives, management and achievements. It provides an historical overview of each university’s founding mission, which is demonstrated as having almost invariably incorporated context-specific elements of social purpose, together with a survey of how these intentions have fared in the different systems of higher education in which they work; a contemporary account of the policy and practice of universities all over the world seeking to re-engage with social purpose; and an overview of generic issues which emerge for the engaged university. Practice comparisons are made across nations and continents, and between the global North and South.

Watson, D., Hollister, R., Stroud, S.E., & Babcock, E. (2011). The engaged university: International perspectives on civic engagement. International Studies in Higher Education. New York: Routledge.