The Talloires Network E-Newsletter - October, 2017

Dear Colleagues,
 
The dynamic discussions and vibrant ideas of the 2017 Talloires Network Leaders Conference in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico remain vivid in my mind. It was energizing to see 280 people from 31 countries across the globe sharing lessons learned and planning for the future of the Network. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Sara Ladrón de Guevara, Rector of Universidad Veracruzana, the entire UV community, and those who traveled long distances to make the conference memorable and productive. 
 
Conference participants, including the Steering Committee, reaffirmed the values of the Network by signing the Veracruz Declaration, which builds on the 2005 Talloires Network Declaration. I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to add your signature here and to work to implement these ideals with your colleagues around the globe. The conference also featured a discussion among six previous winners of the MacJannet Prize for Global Citizenship and the launch of a special volume of Gateways: International Journal of Community Research and Engagement showcasing exemplary university community engagement programs in Argentina, Australia, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, and Pakistan. Additionally, chapter contributors to Regional Perspectives on Learning-by-Doing reunited in Mexico to discuss and disseminate best practices in engaged research and teaching from seven universities on six continents.
 
In our next newsletter, we will call on your university to cast a vote to elect new representatives to serve on the Network’s Steering Committee. We invite you to nominate a university civic engagement leader by 17 November 2017. The next issue will also feature the achievements of the Youth Economic Participation Initiative, a multi-year, multi-site collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation to advance entrepreneurship education at civically engaged universities in the global south.
 
Looking to the future, I would like to thank our 6 new Engaged Members for ensuring the sustainability of the important work we started more than a decade ago: Universidad de las Ámericas (Chile), Brown University (USA), Nottingham Trent University (UK), Stellenbosch University (South Africa), University of Technology Sydney (Australia), and University of Winchester (UK).
 
 Sincerely,
 Anthony P. Monaco
 President, Tufts University
 Chair, Talloires Network Steering Committee
 

Six MacJannet Prize for Global Citizenship Prize winners published about their initiatives and pedagogical approaches in Gateways: International Journal of Community Research and Engagement and presented at the Talloires Network Leaders conference. Each article in the journal describe the intricate relationship with engaged work, but all try and provide an answer to the central question: can higher education engage with communities in a mutually beneficial way while providing opportunities for rigorous learning and reflection? The articles in this edition offer a resounding, ‘yes’, but how to achieve this is a complex and ever changing process. Read more. 

Opinion piece published by Times Higher Education, Rector of Universidad Veracruzana (Mexico) and member of the TN steering committee, Sara Ladrón de Guevara with Anthony Monaco, President of Tufts University (USA) and chair of the steering committee discuss the importance of building relationships with local communities and what their institutions are doing to foster meaningful connections. Read the full article.

Andrew Petter, president and vice-chancellor of Simon Fraser University, Canada and member of the TN steering committee argues that community engagement is an integral component to providing quality education and an urgent responsibility. Piece published by Times Higher Education. Read the full article.

The Netter Center for Community Partnerships housed at University of Pennsylvania (USA) will be holding a conference on 16 and 17 of November to commemorate 25 years since its founding. Learn more.

The Community Intervention Observatory (OIC), hosted by an Engaged Member of the Talloires Network is an online platform that disseminates knowledge produced by students and social leaders in the local neighborhoods surrounding the Universidad de las Ámericas. Born out of the Community Intervention Program which has been institutionalized and a requirement for students, the observatory is a novel way to implement university-community partnerships and to democratize knowledge. Learn more.

Stellenbosch University, a longtime supporter of the Talloires Network  and an Engaged Member convened several anchor institutions in South Africa to discuss strategies and ways to implement inclusive development practices. Read more. 

Calling for submissions from Arab Universities! The Ma'An Arab University Network is seeking to award an Arab University with the "Most Civically Engaged Campus" award. Submissions are due no later than 16 October 2017. Ma'an will cover travel expenses and two-night accommodation for the 5 university finalists. Fill out your submission here. 

Membership in the Talloires Network signals an institutional commitment to the ideals of university community engagement, social service and responsibility, international collaboration and local collective action to address pressing problems. Read more.