The economies of engagement: the nature of university engagement in the corporate university

The economies of engagement: the nature of university engagement in the corporate university

[Summary]: This paper broaches for consideration a central question that confronts those undertaking university engagement initiatives: What does it mean to engage from the perspective of the university? Drawing on the author’s experiences of engaging with a local government ‘industry partner’ over several years, the practice of engagement will be explored according to the economies of engagement that form around these acts of engagement within and beyond the corporatised university. In making a case for how effective engagement might proceed, the concept of 'translation' will be presented as both a metaphor and method for traversing the knowledge ecologies of the university and community/industry partner. As a mechanism by which the knowledge ecologies of the university and partner might be considered, translation provides the opportunity to reconsider the ways in which knowledge is used and constructed and of what value the university might be in wider community and industry settings. The author’s experiences in deploying a participatory partnership hinged on an ethic of engagement will be presented, along with a consideration for how the learning of each other’s knowledge cultures might produce meaningful outcomes.

Files associated with this item cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions.