The document summarizes a presentation on mainstreaming community university research partnerships (CURPs) in India. It discusses the UNESCO Chair in community based research and its north-south partnership. It also outlines the chair's global networks and partnership with GUNI to advocate for CURPs. In India, CURPs are a relatively new concept and the document outlines some encouraging efforts and the new policy context supporting community engagement. The chair's initiatives in India to strengthen community engagement in higher education institutions are also summarized.

1. Mainstreaming Community University
Research Partnerships (CURPs)
India Habitat Centre, New Delhi
April 9, 2015
Dr Rajesh Tandon
UNESCO Chair in community based research and social
responsibility in higher education
www.pria.org ; www.unescochair-cbrsr.org

2. UNESCO Chair in Community Based
Research & Social Responsibility in Higher
Education
North-South Partnership:
• Rajesh Tandon, Co-Chair, Participatory Research
in Asia (PRIA) located in New Delhi, India
• Budd Hall, Co-Chair, Community Development,
School of Public Administration, University of
Victoria, Canada
Building support and capacity through:
• A Global study of organizational structures for
facilitating CURPs
• A Global study of capacity-building and training in
CBR- ‘NextGen’
• Policy development and advocacy

3. Global Networks
• Global University Network for Innovations (GUNI)
www.guninetwork.org
• Living Knowledge Network - www.livingknowledge.org
• PASCAL International Laboratory -
ww.pascalobservatory.org
• Talloires Network - www.talloiresnetwork.tufts.edu
• Global Alliance for Community Engaged Research
(GACER) www.gacer.org

4. Partnership with GUNi
• Collaboration since the year 2008
• Co-chairs served as guest editors to the 5th GUNi World
Report on Higher Education
• Successful launches of the report across countries led to
outstanding impact worldwide.
• Part of editorial team for 6th GUNi World Report

5. CURPs in India
• Relatively new concept in Indian higher education
framework
• Participatory Research and Community Based Research
find limited application in academia
• Encouraging efforts by Centre for Society University
Interface and Research, BPSMV; Centre for Peace &
Conflict Studies, Gauhati University
• Need for focused orientation, concerted efforts

6. New Policy context
• 12th Plan explicitly mandates Community Engagement
• Opportunity under the newly launched UGC Scheme
• Recommends use of Participatory Research & building
capacities for the same.
• Alliance with community based organizations in execution of
joint projects
• Emphasis on developing socially relevant knowledge

7. Chair’s Indian Initiatives
• Project on ‘Strengthening Community Engagement in Indian
HEIs’, in association with the British Council, India in 2013-
2014
• Consultation on the UGC Scheme held in January’2015
• Continuous mentoring provided to Universities for building
project proposals under UGC Scheme
• Expanding partnerships with increasing number of
universities: PU; NBU; BPSMV; BU; JU

8. Thank You