Civic Universities and Their Neighbours: Exploring sites and practices of meaningful engagement between students and local communities

This review brings together literature and evidence, alongside short case study examples to explore sites and practices of meaningful engagement between university students and local communities. It looks at the known sites and practices of engagement in England, student and community experiences of engagement, and what conditions may make it meaningful for different actors involved. It finds that despite the growing demand for student civic engagement, there is little evidence of its impact for communities and place, and that community perspectives on engagement are significantly lacking. The report presents opportunities for universities to broaden and improve their approach to student-community engagement, recognizing that working equitably with communities is central to meaningful civic work.