Universities’ civic role: an explainer

Civic refers to the actions a university takes to support, serve and work with its local communities. 

Most universities across the UK are large, complex organisations serving a range of communities, from local to global, all of whom might have different or multiple needs.

To ensure the civic role mobilises the whole university to meet needs in and across their regions, we have unpacked what it means to be civic. This shared understanding can support the development of an effective strategy for the sector as a whole.

While there are universities with civic missions, all universities have a civic impact on their local communities.

To understand what it means to be civic, the Civic University Commission is a good place to start. It defined a civic university as one that is:

• Public-centred: not only do local leaders and people recognise and value the contribution of the university, but they are also involved in each other’s decision making.
• Truly local: mobilising all of its strengths to prioritise the needs of local people, identified in partnership with local people.
• Strategic: for the university to have clear structure, leadership and ambition to meet local needs.

For further details, see the full publication (PDF).

The needs of communities are constantly changing as are the challenges the country faces. Just as university research and innovation activities are constantly evolving and developing to address new problems and develop new solutions, the civic role of universities needs to do the same.

Download 'Universities’ civic role: an explainer' [PDF]