Realizing Reciprocity in Community-University Partnerships When Addressing Complex Societal Issues.
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| Title: | Realizing Reciprocity in Community-University Partnerships When Addressing Complex Societal Issues. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Visser, Marijke1 m.w.visser@vu.nl, Tijsma, Geertje1, Zweekhorst, Marjolein1 |
| Source: | Innovative Higher Education. Feb2026, Vol. 51 Issue 1, p407-440. 34p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Service learning, *Student activities, *Community organization, Stakeholders |
| Company/Entity: | Vrije Universiteit te Amsterdam |
| Abstract: | In this study, we focus on engaged education as a means of exploring how reciprocity can be manifested through Community-University Partnerships (CUPs) and contribute to the universities' third mission. Reciprocity, characterized by mutual benefit and active collaboration between universities and communities, is foundational to CUPs in engaged education. However, realizing reciprocity in CUPs becomes particularly challenging when addressing complex societal issues – being multifaceted, dynamic, and which require long-term commitment – as curricular activities are traditionally monodisciplinary, and short-term in nature. This paper presents the findings of three years of action research at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, exploring how reciprocity can be realized in CUPs addressing complex issues. Three CUP-Approaches emerged: course-driven, partner-driven, and theme-driven, each leveraging specific strategies – complexity reduction and flexible deliverables, iterative learning, knowledge accumulation and integration. These strategies fostered transactional reciprocity by delivering tangible outcomes for all stakeholders involved and supported transformational reciprocity by transforming CUP processes and outcomes, and participants' perspectives on the complex issue. Our findings highlight the importance of aligning CUP structures with the interconnected and long-term nature of complex issues. This study contributes to the increasing demand on universities to purposefully address complex societal issues through engaged education practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Innovative Higher Education is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 191658347 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Realizing Reciprocity in Community-University Partnerships When Addressing Complex Societal Issues. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Visser%2C+Marijke%22">Visser, Marijke</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> m.w.visser@vu.nl</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tijsma%2C+Geertje%22">Tijsma, Geertje</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zweekhorst%2C+Marjolein%22">Zweekhorst, Marjolein</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Innovative+Higher+Education%22">Innovative Higher Education</searchLink>. Feb2026, Vol. 51 Issue 1, p407-440. 34p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Service+learning%22">Service learning</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+activities%22">Student activities</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Community+organization%22">Community organization</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Stakeholders%22">Stakeholders</searchLink> – Name: SubjectCompany Label: Company/Entity Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vrije+Universiteit+te+Amsterdam%22">Vrije Universiteit te Amsterdam</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: In this study, we focus on engaged education as a means of exploring how reciprocity can be manifested through Community-University Partnerships (CUPs) and contribute to the universities' third mission. Reciprocity, characterized by mutual benefit and active collaboration between universities and communities, is foundational to CUPs in engaged education. However, realizing reciprocity in CUPs becomes particularly challenging when addressing complex societal issues – being multifaceted, dynamic, and which require long-term commitment – as curricular activities are traditionally monodisciplinary, and short-term in nature. This paper presents the findings of three years of action research at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, exploring how reciprocity can be realized in CUPs addressing complex issues. Three CUP-Approaches emerged: course-driven, partner-driven, and theme-driven, each leveraging specific strategies – complexity reduction and flexible deliverables, iterative learning, knowledge accumulation and integration. These strategies fostered transactional reciprocity by delivering tangible outcomes for all stakeholders involved and supported transformational reciprocity by transforming CUP processes and outcomes, and participants' perspectives on the complex issue. Our findings highlight the importance of aligning CUP structures with the interconnected and long-term nature of complex issues. This study contributes to the increasing demand on universities to purposefully address complex societal issues through engaged education practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Innovative Higher Education is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s10755-025-09820-1 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 34 StartPage: 407 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Service learning Type: general – SubjectFull: Student activities Type: general – SubjectFull: Community organization Type: general – SubjectFull: Stakeholders Type: general – SubjectFull: Vrije Universiteit te Amsterdam Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Realizing Reciprocity in Community-University Partnerships When Addressing Complex Societal Issues. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Visser, Marijke – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Tijsma, Geertje – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Zweekhorst, Marjolein IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 02 Text: Feb2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 07425627 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 51 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Innovative Higher Education Type: main |
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