An Coiste Feabhais Acadúil
The Committee on Academic Quality Improvement
The Academic Quality Assurance Programme 2006-2007
Report to Údarás na hOllscoile
Review of
Community Knowledge Initiative
(CKI)
Self-Assessment
Review Group Visit
Follow Up Meeting
January to March 2007
7th – 8th March, 2007
1st June 2007
This Report was compiled for members of Údarás na hOllscoile, NUI Galway and its
committees as a readily accessible but comprehensive source of information on the above
review, its context and its outcomes.
Report to Údarás – Review of Community Knowledge Initiative (CKI) 2006–2007
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Quality Office, August 2007
1. Overview of Department
1.1 Background
The Community Knowledge Initiative (CKI) was launched as a major initiative by the President
of National University of Ireland, Galway, Dr. Iognáid Ó Muircheartaigh, in June 2001. The
CKI obtained funding in the region of €1.6m from Atlantic Philanthropies, the American Ireland
fund and other philanthropic sources.
In addition it was afforded a prominent role in the University’s Strategic Plan 20032008, (Strategic Priority 4: Maximise our Contribution at National and Regional Levels) and
within the Academic Plan 2003-2008 (Priority Theme D: A Student-Centred University and E:
Leadership in Serving Community).
1.2 Aims and Goals
Aims
The CKI aims to:
•
place communities at the centre of debate, and;
•
educate students for civic engagement.
These aims are being realised through four project strands, which include research, student
volunteering, service learning and knowledge sharing. The goal of each strand is documented
within the CKI Implementation Plan 2004-2007 and mapped out annually through the CKI
Action Plans and measured on an annual basis through the Action Plan Outcomes.
Goals
The goals include:
 Research Goal: To become an internationally recognised centre for applied research on
community regeneration, knowledge and interactions with learning institutions, whilst
also promoting research into the areas of student volunteering and service learning.
Current status: This strand of the CKI has undergone significant change during the lifetime of
the project which will be discussed in further details in Section 5 Research. In particular new
goals and a direction more in alignment with the other activities have been developed. CKI has
begun to develop a research profile through the publication of articles and reports, supporting
the emergence of a critical mass of related academic activity, hosting an international conference
and attendance at conferences presenting findings from the CKI on themes related to the civic
purpose of higher education, volunteering and service learning. In addition, it is supporting
(financially and academically) a number of Doctoral and Masters level projects.
 Student Volunteering Goal - To become a role model in promoting the development of
civic and leadership skills in students.
Current status: To this end, the ALIVE (A Learning Initiative and the Volunteer Experience)
programme was established in 2003 to harness, acknowledge and support the volunteering
contribution students make to community both within and outwith NUI Galway. Since the
initial pilot (2003-2004) this programme has developed into a mainstream activity within NUI
Galway, increasing annually the level of student and community participation. This will be
discussed in further detail in Section 3: Student Volunteering.
Report to Údarás – Review of Community Knowledge Initiative (CKI) 2006–2007
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
Service Learning Goal - To become recognised as a pioneering institution in the
implementation of service learning programmes across all faculties.
Current status: To this end, academic staff are supported individually and collectively in terms
of the design and delivery of innovative approaches which underpin a civic dimension to
academic courses and programmes of study. The evolution of practice in this area will be
documented in detail in Section 4 Service Learning.
 Knowledge Sharing Goal - To promote the growing and sharing of the University’s
knowledge resource for the betterment of academic staff, employees, students and the
wider community.
Current status: The CKI has developed diverse strategies which aim to share the knowledge
resources that exist within and without the university, and include high profile seminar series,
seminars aimed at students, staff and community, resource production (including volunteering
guides and handbooks, peer reviewed publications and conference presentations etc) and created
new portals to harness and share knowledge (including the CKI website and quarterly CKI
Newsletters).
1.3 Staff
CKI Team - Currently there are four full time posts within the CKI team and all of the staff team
are on contracts of varying duration. These are:
 CKI Project Coordinator & Academic Staff Developer (Service Learning) (current
contract expires in August 2007 );
 Student Volunteer Coordinator (contract expires in June 2008);
 Administrative Assistant (contract expires in June 2008);
 CKI Researcher (contract expires in February 2009);
 The position of CKI Communications Specialist was vacated in October 2007 but with
an expected new appointment to be made in March/April 2007 on a fixed term 12 month
basis.
1.4 Accommodation and Facilities
The core facilities of the Unit are located in the Arts Millennium Building.
2. Review Group Report Overview and Recommendations
The Review Group consisted of: Mr Robin Webster, CEO of Age Action Ireland, (Chair); Ms
Elizabeth Hollander, Senior Fellow, Tufts University; Professor Alastair Christie, Department of
Applied Social Studies, University College Cork; Mr Alexander Black Department of Anatomy, NUI
Galway and Mr Rod Stoneman of the Huston School of Film & Digital Media, NUI Galway
(rapporteur).
CKI had prepared and submitted a Self Assessment Report that, with a substantial amount of other
documentation, was made available to the Group in advance of their visit.
2.1 Overview and Main Recommendations from Report
Development of CKI in NUI, Galway
The Community Knowledge Initiative is central to NUI, Galway’s current and future success as
a leading university. Building on its long tradition of promoting community-based learning in
partnership with communities throughout the West of Ireland NUI Galway has developed itself
as a leading example of a university that promotes civic engagement. In a few short years,
despite initial difficulties, CKI has effectively developed its agenda of “educating students for
Report to Údarás – Review of Community Knowledge Initiative (CKI) 2006–2007
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civic engagement and placing communities at the centre of the debate”. During the Review
Group’s visit the staff of the CKI were universally applauded by academics, administrators,
students and community partners encountered for their high levels of success, initiative,
responsiveness, collaborative spirit and energy.
Location of CKI within national and international policies
The Review Group agrees with the Deputy President that educating students for their role as
leaders and active participants in a democratic society, which fosters the links of the university
with local, national and international communities, can be developed to become a distinguishing
feature of NUI Galway. This is particularly important in a context of preparing students for
participation in a robust economy that promises individual wealth and has also promoted greater
social inequality. They are members of a society that may have lost some understanding of the
need for balance between individual gain and social equality. The CKI project is located within a
national policy framework that provides relevant starting points - social inclusion and the
celebration of diversity become the rationale for volunteering. These issues are referenced in
both the National Task Force on Active Citizenship, the EU and national NAPSinc programme
(National Anti-Poverty and Social Inclusion) and initiatives made by the Equality Authority.
Education for civic engagement
While civic engagement is a relatively new idea in Irish higher education, involving some
challenge to academia, it is also a progressive approach to education that will position NUI
Galway as a leader in producing high quality graduate and postgraduate students. Judging by the
experience internationally of other rapidly growing, economies, the future will bring increased
demand from employers for students to have inter-cultural competence, awareness of
environmental issues, ability to work with diverse teams, skills in multi-dimensional thinking,
and well-informed ethical practice. Ireland (and the EU) will need leaders who can harness new
found wealth to address social inequities and persistent poverty at home and abroad and be the
keepers of relevant social and historical traditions (for example the Irish language) that enhance
the quality of life and cultural diversity. It is just such leaders that NUI Galway can produce
through the balance of academic and civic education that is promoted through the CKI.
Main Recommendations
1. The University’s new Strategic Plan should include increased civic engagement as a strategic
object and a comment on CKI’s role in achieving this objective.
2. The University should confirm that CKI will be funded on a permanent basis and that CKI
has a long-term future in NUI Galway.
3. The University should consider ways that staff, as well as students, are supported in, and
recognised for, their efforts in the field of volunteering.
4. The University needs to strengthen academic links between CKI and academic
units/activities. For example: each School could identify designated academic staff to have a
specific link with CKI; CKI could be included in specific research applications. If CKI is to
develop as part of the academic community in NUI Galway, it will need to stimulate critical
academic debate about concepts such as ‘civic engagement’ and ‘volunteering’ as well as its
own role in educating students.
5. CKI staff, in collaboration with various stakeholders, should develop a clear mission
statement and set of aims/objectives for the centre. This mission statement and
aims/objectives should address the role of CKI in the promoting specific civic values (e.g.
social inclusion).
6. CKI should work towards an increased partnership and collaboration with community-based
and student groups. Community and student groups should have greater involvement in
decision making in CKI.
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7. CKI should develop its own, more relevant ways of describing key activities such as service
learning and volunteering and consider a thoroughgoing re-branding exercise as part of an
urgent and comprehensive review of CKI’s communications policy and practice overall.
8. CKI should remain within CELT as this maintains the centre’s independence in relation to
academic units and provides an organisational basis for the Centre within the University’s
wider structure.
9. The administration should support CKI’s efforts to organise the higher education system in
Ireland to address civic engagement.
3. Action Plans
Follow-up Meeting
Friday 1 June, 2007, Room 207, Arts Millennium Building
st
Present: Professor Jim Browne – Registrar, Professor J Gosling – Director of Quality (Chair), Dr Iain
MacLabhrainn – Director of CELT, Mr Rod Stoneman – Rapporteur member of review group, Mr
Alexander Black – Cognate member of review group, Mr Christopher McNairney – Director of Human
Resources, Dr Sharon Flynn – CELT, Professor Abhay Pandit – Dept of Mechanical & Biomedical
Engineering, Ms Mary Bernard, Ms Ruth Hynes, Ms Maria-Alejandra Gonzalez-Perez – CKI, Ms
Geraldine Lyons (in attendance).
Action Plan for the CKI:
1. The CKI will produce a revised mission statement and strategic plan and submit them to the
CKI Board for approval in the new academic year. An interim statement will be produced
for their website, leaflets and other media as part of their Communications Strategy.
2. The CKI will review its organisational and governance structures as the current Atlantic
Philanthropies support ends and as it moves towards mainstream University funding for its
core personnel. The new management/board structure will reflect the new levels of
partnership and community representation. The CKI welcomes the suggestion of having
members of existing academic staff from each school having some form of responsibility or
designation, for CKI-related activities
3. The CKI team will continue to pursue external funding opportunities to support its work, in
liaison with Galway University Foundation, via SIF and other channels. CKI are also
contributing towards joint research proposals with academic staff for external funding that
may enhance the University’s contributions to community.
4. The CKI will identify potential ways in which University staff can be supported in voluntary
work as part of a new longer-term strategy for civic engagement. A recent survey of
academic staff by CELT has revealed the extent to which staff already make contributions to
wider civil society. Where appropriate (and desired), they feel attention should be drawn to
this ‘traditional involvement’ and any new initiatives
5. The CKI is conscious that some terminology and names can act as barriers to participation,
and through their new Communications Specialist will:

Review the CKI name and the terminology used to describe its activities.

Review and as necessary, redesign/reconfigure its newsletter and other
communication tools.
Report to Údarás – Review of Community Knowledge Initiative (CKI) 2006–2007
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Action Plan for University Management:
1. The CKI and its associated activities, plans and ambitions will be ‘centre stage’ in the
University’s new strategic and academic plans to be developed in 2008.

‘Civic engagement’ involving voluntary work and ‘community-based learning’ are
becoming essential components of the University’s ‘brand image’.

The CKI is a key focus for SIF projects and has the potential to attract significant
research funding, particularly in partnership with academic partners.
2. A proposal that baseline funding for the CKI will come from the University’s core budget
from 2007–08 and thereafter, is at the final stage of its consideration by University
management. The Registrar will continue to support its acceptance.
3. The Registrar suspects that there may be funding available in the future from other sources
and organisations, besides the IUA and SIF in the area of civic engagement in higher
education.
4. The Quality Office will support the CKI :

As it develops a revised mission statement and strategic plan

As it reviews its organisational and governance structures
Approved by: Director of CELT, Dr Iain MacLabhrainn, 19 July 2007
Approved by: The Registrar, Professor Jim Browne, 20 July 2007
Approved by: Director of Human Resources, Mr. Christopher McNairney, 19 July 2007
Approval by: Vice President for Research, Professor Nicholas Canny, 14 August 2007
Finalised: 14 August 2007, Jim Gosling, Director of Quality