Communities and Students Together (CaST)

Engaged Learning enables students to apply theory to a context outside of the University by addressing societal concerns, challenges or needs, while producing knowledge in an equitable, mutually beneficial partnership. Through participating in Engaged Learning, students develop self-efficacy and enhance their employability, while local communities benefit from the skills and knowledge of a supervised student researcher. The central aim of the Communities and Students Together (CaST) project is to advance our knowledge and understanding of the myriad forms of Engaged Learning and to develop and pilot a programme in each partner university which enables community-based Engaged Learning. In this practical element of the CaST project, each partner aimed to incorporate lessons learned from the previous two CaST outputs – A State-of-the-Art Review, and a Case Study Compendium of Engaged Learning in Europe – in a pilot project in their home institution. This synthesis document describes each initiative, considering the practicalities and challenges of design and delivery, as well as the long-term sustainability. Dr. Lindsey Anderson is the Regional Engagement Manager Innovation, Impact and Business at the University of Exeter, UK.