The webinar included presentations of two approaches to addressing higher education’s societal responsibility. One showcases an institution’s implementation of a European framework for community engagement in higher education, as well as the project upon which this framework is based. The other presentation demonstrated one university’s efforts to support researchers at risk and promote academic freedom. Chaired by Tia Loukkola,Director, Institutional Development Unit, EUA. the webinar features the following speakers:

·        Snježana Prijić Samaržija, Rector, University of Rijeka, Croatia and Ninoslav Šćukanec Schmidt, Director, Institute for the Development of Education, Croatia

·        Orla Duke, Programme Manager Scholarsat Risk Europe, Maynooth University, Ireland

The goal of the session on TEFCE was to examine whether there is an opportunity to develop innovative policy tools both at the university and the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) level for assessing externally and internally the community engagement of universities. Community engagement is about mutually beneficial cooperation between universities and their wider communities, which will be presented on the University of Rijeka example.

The session included: analysis of different approaches to community engagement in higher education; a mapping of challenges connected with community engagement; discussion related to new developments in relation to community engagement; and debate about a possible European framework for community engagement. There have been no initiatives yet at the EHEA level that have focused exclusively on community engagement. We will explain how a European framework for Community Engagement might fill this gap and support universities in institutionalising their cooperation with the wider community

More information about the event (including a video of the webinar) is available here: https://www.tefce.eu/consultations

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