Social Impact

Question 1

Which of the following drivers reflect the issues of your community?

First, start with defining your community. A community can be based on different factors such as location, interest, identity, or a problem. What is the current issue in your community? It can be unemployment, lack of education opportunities, digital skills development, climate change adaptation, cultural awareness issues. The existing data sources such as reports, surveys, studies, and media will help you to understand socio-economic position, education, health, demographics, environment and other features of the community. If there is no existing data regarding the current issues within your community, do research yourself. How can you learn about your community needs?

• Identify the current issues by checking the official social media channels of your local area, city, or district.
• Reach out directly to members of digital communities in your region and ask about their needs, interests, and challenges.
• Look for virtual events, webinars, or workshops organized by digital communities or relevant organizations in your region and learn about current trends, emerging issues, and community priorities.

Question 2

Which of the following drivers would help strengthen the resilience of your community?

Which of the following drivers would help strengthen the resilience of your community?

By community resilience we mean the collective capacity of communities to anticipate, respond to, and recover from a wide range of stressors, such as natural disasters, economic downturns, social conflicts, public health crises, and environmental changes.

Tip: Design learning experience that will equip students with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to support and strengthen the community they live in.

Tip: Integrate discussions to encourage students to critically examine power dynamics, privilege, and marginalization within communities and explore ways to promote equity and social justice.

Question 3

Which of the selected drivers align with the priorities of the 3rd mission strategy of my university?

Definition: The third mission of a university typically involves its engagement with the broader community beyond its immediate academic and research activities. This mission focuses on applying the knowledge and resources of the university to address societal needs and contribute to the public good. The 3rd mission of the university can be found on the official website of the university. The 3rd mission of the university can be also presented as a part of the general mission statement or strategic development document of the university. The 3rd mission of the university would usually have key priorities or the action plan for the next 3-5 years.

Question 4

Which of the following drivers indicate that the current capacity and resources of the university are adequate for developing and implementing your course?

By capacity we mean the infrastructure, databases, digital tools available. For instance, in the case of selecting drivers such as "volunteering," it's essential to ensure that there are existing volunteering opportunities within the university or that it's feasible to identify external volunteering options. If you choose “Digital skills”, it would be useful to explore the digital infrastructure of the university in advance.

Question 5

Which of the following drivers could you realistically use to create a course, based on the availability of relevant external stakeholders?

External stakeholders can refer to any individual or organizations (NGOs, technology-transfer offices, career centers, etc.) that would be interested in collaboration, mainly in the practical part of the course (lectures, study visits, simulations, online internships, etc.) For instance, if you're able to partner with a local organization dedicated to environmental awareness, it could serve as a potential collaborator for a community engagement course centered on sustainability.