News and Events

Upcoming Events

Edinburgh Community Engagement Forum Event

Thursday 21st March, 10am-midday, Lister Learning and Teaching Centre (G.09).

Come and learn more about what the Edinburgh’s Community Engagement network has been up to recently at this open meeting. This informal session is open to all University staff and students, and members of the Students’ Association. This meeting is a chance to:

- Find out more about the University’s Centre for Experiential Learning (https://www.cfel.ed.ac.uk/) and work on Science Shops (https://www.livingknowledge.org/science-shops/about-science-shops/ )

Work taking place to update the University’s community engagement strategy (https://www.ed.ac.uk/local/read-our-strategy)

‘Community engagement’ is broadly defined for the purposes of the meeting, and could include:

- Any sort of non-commercial relationship or activity

- Partnering with an individual or organisation – public, private or voluntary – that is based in Edinburgh or the surrounding areas (including Fife, the Lothians and the Borders)

Something you do as part of your work/study, or in your own time (although we appreciate you may not wish to share the latter)

Agenda

10:00 – Tea and coffee available

10.15 – Information about the Centre for Experiential Learning, Science Shops and the Community Engagement Strategy update (inc. Q&A)

11:00 – Updates from other attendees (optional!)

12:00 – End

You can register for this event here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/edinburgh-community-engagement-forum-march-2019-registration-58144329254

Past Events

Applications for the Students as Change Agents (SAChA) programme now open!

Monday February 18th – Friday February 22nd. Part of the Festival of Creative Learning. Application deadline February 6th.

Students as Change Agents (SAChA) is delighted to announce that the application window for the 2019 SAChA programme is now open! SAChA is an innovative and fun development programme, in which groups of students work on live challenges with real social impact. As a SAChA participant, you will work with other students and organisations in the public, private, and non-profit sectors to tackle real-world issues. This is an exciting opportunity to wrestle with some of the critical social and environmental issues of today and create long-lasting impact for future generations. You will also develop skills in consultancy, problem-solving, and the use of data, as well as make links with alumni, potential employers, and other professionals.

The SAChA programme will take place during the Festival of Creative Learning: February 18-22, 2019. On Monday, you will participate in a short training session that focuses on problem solving, design thinking, the use of data and working in teams. The following day, you will be assigned a challenge and a team, as well as finding out more about the challenges directly from the host organisations. For the rest of the week, you and your team will work on innovative solutions at your own pace. On Friday, everyone will gather to present the conclusions to the organisations and find out where this could go next!

All students are welcome to apply! You do not need any prior knowledge or expertise to sign up to these challenges – just an inquisitive mind and a desire to a make real change in society. Please note that the application deadline is February 6, 2019 at noon.

More information available at MyCareerHub: https://mycareerhub.ed.ac.uk/students/events/Detail/571258/students-as-change-agents-fest

Apply here: https://www.events.ed.ac.uk/index.cfm?event=book&scheduleId=33560

Past Events

Practical Strategies for Learning in the Real World

Tuesday September 25th, 2018 – B.08, Institute for Academic Development, 1 Morgan Lane, EH8 8FP

A two-hour workshop as part of the IAD’s Practical Strategies series, which gives advice on creative ways in which to incorporate experiential learning into the curriculum for various purposes. It will have a special focus on adapting assessment and feedback methods, making it suitable for course organisers and lecturers who are keen to offer students authentic learning experiences without having to overhaul their course completely.

This course is likely to re-run next semester.

Community Engagement: Co-constructing Knowledge with Communities (taster workshop)

Thursday October 18th, 2018 – Training and Skills Room, ECCI, High School Yards, Infirmary Street, EH1 1LZ

Is the current trend for community engagement a genuine desire on behalf of institutions to democratise their relationship with communities or a desperate attempt to re-engage with a constituency alienated through years of institutional indifference? This workshop casts a critical eye over the interest in community engagement and what we all need to do to ensure our community engagement is ethical and mutually beneficial.

The workshop offered a taster session using materials from a more in-depth online Masters level course:

(http://www.ed.ac.uk/education/professional-learning/community-engagement)

Community Engagement Fair

Tuesday 30th October, 12noon-2pm – Paterson’s Land (Holyrood Campus), room 1.18

The community engagement fair is back! Bringing together community based agencies and students who wish to work with them, this year the fair is open to students and staff from any subject area. This informal drop in event presents a special opportunity to meet other community engagement practitioners and share practice.