ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to relate the story of Goldsmiths University of London’s development of a community engagement strategy and consider its impact. The identification of being research-intensive, coupled with the growth in student numbers, both domestic and international, detracted from the values of civic engagement. For Goldsmiths, the revival of the civic mission meant reprioritising the importance of engagement between the university and the local community so that the impact of the university’s transformative and radical education would be felt locally, as well as nationally and internationally. Embedding civic responsibilities across the institution drew on activists and champions from academic and professional service departments, and utilised our long-established research centres which have expertise in community engagement and urban renewal and development. Strategic external partnershipsallowed Goldsmiths to reconnect with the issues that mattered to the community; the university was able to contribute to existing civic activities as well as co-create new initiatives.
