The ‘Professor Sir David Watson Award for Community-University Partnerships’ recognises the combined efforts of community and university partners towards making a difference to the lives of people in their shared community.
The award application process was launched on 29 November at the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement’s ‘Engage’ conference in Bristol, and nominations will be accepted for the work of community-university partnerships from anywhere in the world.
The scheme, the first of its kind, will recognise achievements by community and university partners working together to build a healthier, just, and sustainable community.
It is supported by an international group of networks and leaders in the field, including the Talloires Network, a global network of community-engaged universities that Sir David helped to build and lead, Drs Budd Hall and Rajesh Tandon, the UNESCO co-chairs for Community Based Research. Sponsors also include the University of Winchester and Engagement Australia which helps develop best practice university-community engagement in Australia.
Professor Watson created the University of Brighton’s award-winning Community University Partnership Programme Cupp which has supported scores of partnership projects over the past 12 years. Each year hundreds of academics, students and community partners work together to produce benefits for the community whilst enriching teaching and research. Cupp now supports other universities in the UK and across the world to develop similar initiatives in their own contexts.
You can donate to the award fund or find out how to apply to the awards scheme.