There are growing calls for Higher Education Institutions to become more civically engaged and socially relevant in their local regions. The central aim of the Communities and Students Together (CaST) project has been to advance our knowledge and understanding of the myriad forms of Engaged Learning and to develop a deeper understanding of engagement. The project highlighted the diversity and flexibility to be found within Engaged Learning initiatives in each of the participating universities. The examples provided range widely in their structure and intended outcomes. However, the one constant is each initiative's commitment to a concept where reciprocity between the students, universities and communities is prioritised.
This volume includes discussions on the practical methodology, pedagogical strategies and approaches of Engaged Learning, as well as perspectives from both higher education institutes and communities, of the benefits of Engaged Learning in different contexts. The authorshave chosen the title: 'Voices across Europe' - in order to represent the wide range of stakeholders' perspectives involved in Engaged Learning.
Dr Mary Griffith is a PhD lecturer working with applied linguistics, communication strategies and bilingualism at the Universidad de Málaga, Spain.
