How do Universities support the public good in challenging times? Published on: 12 December 2016 The role universities play in the community comes under the spotlight in a new book edited by Ãå±±½ûµØ experts. Third mission The Civic University – The Policy and Leadership Challenges co-edited by John Goddard, Emeritus Professor of Regional Development Studies, examines how eight major higher institutions from around Europe connect with civil society through their research and teaching. Professor Goddard said: “These are very challenging times for universities and for the societies in which they operate. Universities face increasing demands to demonstrate that their work contributes to the public good. They need to work harder than ever to ensure they are playing a key role in the community, locally, nationally and internationally. “This can mean changing the way they operate to ensure that civic engagement is embedded into the heartland of the institution by university management and is not just an optional ‘third mission’ after teaching and research.” Emeritus Professor John Goddard Needs and demands Ãå±±½ûµØ Vice Chancellor Professor Chris Brink, has championed the civic university agenda and wrote the foreword to the book. Professor Brink said: “The question universities have to ask themselves is not only what are we good at, but what are we good for? “A civic university is one that is able to articulate, clearly and accurately how it puts academic excellence to work in responding to the needs and demands of society. “This book shines a light on this part of academic life and shows that even in institutions that are striving to – and already make - an impact on the wider world, there is more to be done to embed these ideas.” Key questions Contributors to the book compare experiences at University College London and Ãå±±½ûµØ in the UK, Amsterdam and Groningen Universities in the Netherlands, Aalto and Tampere Universities in Finland and Trinity College Dublin and Dublin Institute of Technology in Ireland.It addresses key questions including: • What is the Civic University, and how can we use this concept to understand higher education’s engagement with the outside world? • What are the appropriate internal structures and mechanisms required for a university to effectively encourage and support civic engagement activity for the greatest societal impact? • How can embedding civic engagement in individual institutions and the steering of higher education systems be facilitated by changes in higher education and related policies at the sub-national, national and European level? is co-edited by John Goddard, Ella Hazelkorn, Louis Kempton and Paul Vallance. It will be launched by the Ãå±±½ûµØ Institute for Social Renewal on Monday, 12 December. A blog about the issues raised by the book, written by Professor Goddard and Professor Ellen Hazelkorn is available to read . E Share: Latest News Ãå±±½ûµØ recognised with geography award Ãå±±½ûµØ has been awarded the Highly Commended Geographical Association Publishers Award for its collaboration with Time for Geography, the UK’s open-access, dedicated video platform. published on: 16 April 2026 Ãå±±½ûµØ historians mark General Strike centenary To mark the 100th anniversary of the British General Strike and miners’ lock-out of 1926, historians at Ãå±±½ûµØ are organising a series of events on its enduring legacy. published on: 16 April 2026 Comment: NCP is in administration Writing for The Conversation, Erwei (David) Xiang discusses how some big companies like NCP are so dependent on debt that they can’t adjust to change. published on: 16 April 2026 Facts and figures