The Importance of Town and Gown Relations: Addressing Studentification and Promoting Hyper-Local Engagement for Civic Universities:
Within every city or town with a university, a complex relationship exists between the institution and its surrounding community, commonly known as “town and gown” relations. This dynamic is crucial not only for the university’s success but also for the well-being and development of both students and local communities.
The Benefits and Challenges
Universities contribute significantly to their host communities, offering economic stimulation, cultural enrichment, educational opportunities, community-engaged research and learning opportunities. However, the large annual influx and departure of students can strain local infrastructure and resources. The phenomenon of ‘studentification,’ prevalent in the UK and beyond, often results in dramatic changes to the housing market, disrupts community cohesion, and skews the local economy to primarily cater to student needs.
Given these impacts, managing town and gown relations is particularly important for civic universities—institutions committed to the prosperity and well-being of their local communities. Establishing a positive and balanced relationship with surrounding communities is crucial for ensuring that the university’s presence benefits everyone.
Strategies for Civic Universities
Civic universities, by definition, see themselves as integral parts of their communities, contributing to social, cultural, and economic life. To fulfil this mission, they must address the challenges of studentification while nurturing strong, positive relationships with their host communities. Here are some of the ways civic universities can lead the way:
Hyper-Local Engagement: Engage with the local community by fostering relationships for engagement and collaboration with students, long-term residents, local businesses, and community organisations. Universities can build relationships, share information, and gather input to ensure that community perspectives and needs are central to the decision-making process. Appointing community liaison officers or establishing dedicated offices for town and gown relations can help ensure that the university is responsive to community needs and that residents have clear points of contact within the institution.
Foster Strong Civic Partnerships: Build robust partnerships that share the responsibility of managing student-related issues such as housing pressure and noise complaints. These partnerships can pool resources from universities, local governments, and community organisations to fund local initiatives, enhance public services, and improve infrastructure to benefit both students and long-term residents.
Support off-campus experience: Assist students in adjusting to independent living by providing support with managing finances, finding housing, and dealing with landlords. This support eases the transition from on-campus life, helping students feel more settled and connected to both their university and the local community. A well-supported student is likely to have a better overall experience, improved mental well-being, and enhanced academic performance.
Promoting Community Integration: Prioritise efforts to integrate students into the local community through orientation programs that emphasise respect for local customs and norms, initiatives that encourage positive contribution s through curricular or co-curricular opportunities, and addressing key points in the student lifecycle, such as tenancy changeover and the interception of items for community benefit. Addressing student antisocial behaviour in the community by implementing clear processes linked to disciplinary procedures for dealing with student disruptions.
Navigating studentification and fostering positive town-and-gown relations is a multifaceted challenge for civic universities. Balancing the needs of students, universities, public sector entities, and local residents requires a nuanced and proactive approach. This landscape is continually evolving, influenced by socio-cultural, political, and environmental factors often beyond the universities’ direct control.
These are challenges that the UK Town and Gown Association (UKTGA) and its members are all too familiar with. Established in 2012, the UKTGA plays a vital role in guiding universities through the challenges of studentification and town-and-gown relations. By providing valuable resources and fostering collaboration among its over 300 members, the UKTGA supports the development of innovative solutions and best practices to enhance town-and-gown relationships and the student experience.
Our association unites universities and their surrounding communities to encourage interaction, understanding, and cooperation. Through this collaboration, civic universities can fulfil their dual mission of academic excellence and civic responsibility by cultivating strong, positive connections with their local communities. This approach not only boosts the area’s economic and cultural richness but also plays a role in creating strong, vibrant, and inclusive environments where all members—students, transient residents, staff, and permanent residents—feel valued, connected, and part of a harmonious community.
We are committed to advancing community-engaged research and learning as a foundation for our work. By providing a space for creative problem-solving and driving academic research, we guide and support our members in achieving our shared mission of fostering positive town-and-gown relations.
In conclusion, to effectively address these challenges, universities must actively engage and work with their local communities and develop strategies that address their concerns. By understanding and managing the intricate interplay of these factors, universities can cultivate more harmonious relationships with their communities.
The UKTGA is holding its in-person conference in Manchester on 11-13 November 2024 and will focus on collaborative approaches to strengthening university-community relationships. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with thought leaders and peers, and to contribute to the conversation on creating sustainable, vibrant communities. For further details on the UKTGA, membership, its conference, awards, and training courses, please visit https://uktga.org/
The Importance of Town and Gown Relations: Addressing Studentification and Promoting Hyper-Local Engagement for Civic Universities:
Within every city or town with a university, a complex relationship exists between the institution and its surrounding community, commonly known as “town and gown” relations. This dynamic is crucial not only for the university’s success but also for the well-being and development of both students and local communities.
The Benefits and Challenges
Universities contribute significantly to their host communities, offering economic stimulation, cultural enrichment, educational opportunities, community-engaged research and learning opportunities. However, the large annual influx and departure of students can strain local infrastructure and resources. The phenomenon of ‘studentification,’ prevalent in the UK and beyond, often results in dramatic changes to the housing market, disrupts community cohesion, and skews the local economy to primarily cater to student needs.
Given these impacts, managing town and gown relations is particularly important for civic universities—institutions committed to the prosperity and well-being of their local communities. Establishing a positive and balanced relationship with surrounding communities is crucial for ensuring that the university’s presence benefits everyone.
Strategies for Civic Universities
Civic universities, by definition, see themselves as integral parts of their communities, contributing to social, cultural, and economic life. To fulfil this mission, they must address the challenges of studentification while nurturing strong, positive relationships with their host communities. Here are some of the ways civic universities can lead the way:
Hyper-Local Engagement: Engage with the local community by fostering relationships for engagement and collaboration with students, long-term residents, local businesses, and community organisations. Universities can build relationships, share information, and gather input to ensure that community perspectives and needs are central to the decision-making process. Appointing community liaison officers or establishing dedicated offices for town and gown relations can help ensure that the university is responsive to community needs and that residents have clear points of contact within the institution.
Foster Strong Civic Partnerships: Build robust partnerships that share the responsibility of managing student-related issues such as housing pressure and noise complaints. These partnerships can pool resources from universities, local governments, and community organisations to fund local initiatives, enhance public services, and improve infrastructure to benefit both students and long-term residents.
Support off-campus experience: Assist students in adjusting to independent living by providing support with managing finances, finding housing, and dealing with landlords. This support eases the transition from on-campus life, helping students feel more settled and connected to both their university and the local community. A well-supported student is likely to have a better overall experience, improved mental well-being, and enhanced academic performance.
Promoting Community Integration: Prioritise efforts to integrate students into the local community through orientation programs that emphasise respect for local customs and norms, initiatives that encourage positive contribution s through curricular or co-curricular opportunities, and addressing key points in the student lifecycle, such as tenancy changeover and the interception of items for community benefit. Addressing student antisocial behaviour in the community by implementing clear processes linked to disciplinary procedures for dealing with student disruptions.
Navigating studentification and fostering positive town-and-gown relations is a multifaceted challenge for civic universities. Balancing the needs of students, universities, public sector entities, and local residents requires a nuanced and proactive approach. This landscape is continually evolving, influenced by socio-cultural, political, and environmental factors often beyond the universities’ direct control.
These are challenges that the UK Town and Gown Association (UKTGA) and its members are all too familiar with. Established in 2012, the UKTGA plays a vital role in guiding universities through the challenges of studentification and town-and-gown relations. By providing valuable resources and fostering collaboration among its over 300 members, the UKTGA supports the development of innovative solutions and best practices to enhance town-and-gown relationships and the student experience.
Our association unites universities and their surrounding communities to encourage interaction, understanding, and cooperation. Through this collaboration, civic universities can fulfil their dual mission of academic excellence and civic responsibility by cultivating strong, positive connections with their local communities. This approach not only boosts the area’s economic and cultural richness but also plays a role in creating strong, vibrant, and inclusive environments where all members—students, transient residents, staff, and permanent residents—feel valued, connected, and part of a harmonious community.
We are committed to advancing community-engaged research and learning as a foundation for our work. By providing a space for creative problem-solving and driving academic research, we guide and support our members in achieving our shared mission of fostering positive town-and-gown relations.
In conclusion, to effectively address these challenges, universities must actively engage and work with their local communities and develop strategies that address their concerns. By understanding and managing the intricate interplay of these factors, universities can cultivate more harmonious relationships with their communities.
The UKTGA is holding its in-person conference in Manchester on 11-13 November 2024 and will focus on collaborative approaches to strengthening university-community relationships. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with thought leaders and peers, and to contribute to the conversation on creating sustainable, vibrant communities. For further details on the UKTGA, membership, its conference, awards, and training courses, please visit https://uktga.org/
