Accommodating the plurality of voices: A qualitative study exploring teachers’ challenges and needs in the institutionalization of public engagement in higher education

In recent years, community service learning (CSL) has gained popularity as a form of public engagement in universities and higher education institutions (HEIs) worldwide (1,2). The positive impacts of CSL are being recognized and embraced, so the current challenge is no longer to only improve and expand these efforts, but also to institutionalize CSL in a meaningful way for all stakeholders involved (1,3–5). Achieving this requires both top-down and bottom-up strategies to embed public engagement in the institution’s mission and policies and to reflect it in daily activities to become part of a university’s culture (3,6–8). Teachers, as critical components of the educational system in HEIs, play a vital role in shaping students’ educational experiences and can provide key insights into effective ways of integrating public engagement into the curriculum (8–11). Encouraging teachers in their engaged educational efforts can help foster a culture of public engagement within the institution, as they can act as advocates for its implementation and promote it among colleagues. However, the challenges that teachers face in integrating public engagement into their teaching practice and institutional structures are diverse and not well understood, and strategies to further support and promote these efforts in this phase of the institutionalization process remain unclear. To address these gaps, this qualitative study aimed to gain a more in-depth understanding of teachers’ challenges and needs in their engaged educational practices and identify the strategies and actions needed to further thrive the institutionalization process. This can help HEIs to better understand how to institutionalize public engagement efforts in a way that is sustainable and responsive to the needs of teachers. To contribute to this, we performed 25 qualitative semi-structured interviews with teachers at the Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam who implemented CSL in their courses. Purposive sampling was used to recruit a diverse group of participants, including teachers from different faculties, using various formats of CSL, and with varying degrees of experience in implementing CSL in their courses. From our analysis, we identified three major needs of teachers. Firstly, they desire an internal community or network to exchange experiences and get inspired. Secondly, teachers indicated the need for resources, such as standardized tools (e.g., rubrics and assessment forms), training and support (e.g., training in the code of conduct wen working with societal partners), but also matching moments where they can meet societal partners. Finally, teachers expressed a need for enhancing both internal and external promotion of public engagement efforts. Additionally, teachers stressed that more time and budget for the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of courses are needed. Including public engagement efforts in the academic reward system, alongside academic publications, was also mentioned as crucial for the continuation of their practices in the long run. In conclusion, this study highlights the challenges and needs of teachers in integrating public engagement into their teaching practices and institutional structures. By implementing policies and strategies that are responsive to teachers’ needs, HEIs can foster a culture of public engagement that aligns with their mission.