Perspectives on community engagement from institutional audits
A weak link in the higher education quality chain
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20853/40-5-8528Keywords:
community engagement, institutional audit, quality, transformation, decolonialityAbstract
Learning and teaching, research, and community engagement are considered central to the purpose and mandates of higher education institutions. The study adopted a qualitative documentary analysis in which 26 Council on Higher Education (CHE) institutional audit reports from the 2022-2024 cycle were reviewed to explore the meaning and emphasis given to community engagement (CE) in the CHE institutional documents.
The findings revealed that while CE is articulated in institutional rhetoric, visions, and missions, there is little tangible evidence of its implementation in institutional actions. The main issues include the absence of formal coordination structures, limited dedicated funding, minimal integration into core academic activities such as curriculum and research, and reliance on individual champions rather than institutional support. Additionally, the findings highlight the significant impact of the absence of monitoring and evaluation systems that measure developmental outcomes. Grounded in Community Development Theory and Decoloniality, the study shows that as a part of higher education, CE should not be marginalised if the sector aims for transformation and social justice. Against that background, the findings indicate that to secure transformative social justice objectives, CE must be systemically embedded in institutional structures and mechanisms of governance, funding and quality assurance. The study, therefore, recommends that CE, as a fundamental part of academic achievement, requires concerted institutional and national efforts and intentional leadership.
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