Welcome to our new series of blogs amplifying the voices shaping the future of civic universities and the places they call home.
Our new NCIA Debate Stage is the platform for a range of opinions, views and commentary on the UK's civic university movement, designed to spark dialogues that illuminate the contribution that universities and other anchor institutions can make to the places they call home, and debate solutions to the challenges they face on their journey.
The NCIA Debate Stage features insights from a diverse range of thought leaders and change-makers at the forefront of the civic university movement. While the views expressed are those of the authors and may not necessarily reflect the official position of the Civic University Network or National Civic Impact Accelerator programme, they are intended to stimulate meaningful discussions and inspire fresh perspectives on how universities can deepen their civic impact.
Do you have a civic story to tell, or an idea to maximise the impact of place-based collaboration? Get in touch to contribute to this new series!
Adam Leach, NCIA Programme Director
The role of student leaders in supporting and facilitating civic activities
In Greg Burke’s recent blog reflecting on his journey from Whitehall to the heart of place-making, he asks, ‘how can we embed civic activity into institutions?’, sharing that ‘all too often, things fall away ...
Embedding the Civic Mission: A Journey from Whitehall to the Heart of Place-Making
As I come to the end of my time at Sheffield Hallam University, I thought it would be good to reflect on my Civic University journey. Having spent most of my life as a ...
Parent Power: community organising for civic impact
Universities talk constantly about civic engagement with their local communities. But what does this mean in practice? And how can it be done effectively?Parent Power is one such example, emerging from a desire to work ...
Developing a Business Case: Introduction to the Financial, Commercial and Managerial Cases
Financial Case The purpose of the financial case within the business case is to demonstrate the affordability and funding of the preferred option, including the support of stakeholders as required. Demonstrating the affordability and ...
Developing a Business Case: Introduction to the Strategic and Economic Cases
Strategic Case This is the first blog covering two of the 5 sections of the business case. The purpose of this strategic case is to make the case for change and to demonstrate how ...
What is a business case? Why are they important to Universities?
Business cases often used to show there is a compelling and worthwhile case to initiate a viable project. All projects should show their value for money, added value, viability and deliverability in order to ...
What kind of change agent is a civic university?
Do university staff see themselves as agents of change? This was the astute question posed by a facilitator in one of the National Civic Impact Accelerator’s recent action learning groups. It was a question ...
Across the Atlantic: Civic Universities Shaping Innovation for Place
I recently had the honour of visiting Toronto for an insightful series of events exploring how universities in Canada - and around the world - are collaborating with partners to support entrepreneurship grounded in ...
As the UK gears up for a general election, what’s the vision for HE? Let’s think local
Balancing global and local roles is a tricky and enduring challenge for UK universities. Increasing pressure to drive income and the competition propelled by excellence frameworks and rankings has pushed international reputation to the ...