The EARLI conference took place in Graz from 25 to 29 August. EARLI stands for European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction. Our colleagues Paul Rameder and Peter Slepcevic-Zach (University of Graz) presented their research findings on ‘Insights from Austrian university managers on knowledge transfer and campus-community partnerships’.

Teaching approaches such as community-based research and service learning are gaining importance at universities because they support experiential learning for students. But how institutionalised are the partnerships between universities and civil society organisations, which are one of the basic prerequisites for these teaching approaches? This question was examined in a study of 42 Austrian university managers, focusing on the role and institutionalisation of campus-community partnerships (CCPs) and service learning.

Key findings

While three-quarters of respondents consider CCPs to be strategically important, institutionalisation is weak – only 10% of universities have their own CCP/service learning offices, and support structures vary greatly.

Conclusion

CCPs and service learning are valued conceptually for knowledge transfer, but their structural integration at universities remains limited, underscoring the need for stronger institutional frameworks.

The study is a joint project of six members of the research network ‘Hochschulen Engagiert Österreich’ (Universities Engaged Austria). In addition to the two presenters, Claudia Fahrenwald (PH OÖ), Mariella Knapp (OeAD/University of Vienna), Magdalena Fellner (University of Kassel) and Katharina Resch (PH OÖ) were involved.