The online workshop “Community Engagement in Higher Education”, as part of WP5 of the project, provided a crucial opportunity for team members to engage with the expertise of Thomas Farnell, a Higher Education Policy Expert at the Institute for the Development of Education. This session focused on the significant role of community engagement in higher education and introduced the TEFCE Toolbox, a self-evaluation tool aimed at supporting universities in enhancing their community engagement efforts.

Thomas Farnell, a renowned expert in higher education policy, shared insights from his extensive experience leading European-level projects that focus on social responsibility within universities and addressing educational inequality. His work with the European Commission’s NESET expert network and contributions to reports on community engagement and the impact of COVID-19 on higher education framed the session’s key discussions.

The workshop highlighted the importance of integrating universities into their local communities through structured, strategic engagement. Participants were introduced to the TEFCE Toolbox, which serves as a practical tool for universities to evaluate and strengthen their community outreach initiatives. This tool is designed to empower institutions to reflect on their practices and improve their local impact.

This session also served as a valuable preparation for the upcoming meeting in Kenya, where participants will have the opportunity to explore this topic in greater depth. The Kenya meeting will further delve into the role of community engagement in higher education and provide a collaborative platform to co-create innovative solutions that will enhance the social responsibility of universities across the region.

The insights shared during the workshop will contribute to shaping future actions and collaborations, ensuring that the social responsibility of universities is prioritized and strengthened across Africa and beyond.