Civic role of higher education

 

In research on civic role of universities, Klemenčič has focused mostly on education function preparing students for citizenship and civic engagement. Klemenčič argues that to develop students' civic agency and dispositions for active citizenship and civic involvement two measures are needed. One is to build-in these topics into regular classes and create connections to real-world problems as part of the existing course offer when possible (as opposed to offering special "civics" courses). Another measure is for universities and colleges to operate as sites of citizenship and civic involvement. Through practices of student representation in decision-making and offering opportunities to students for public service on campus, colleges and universities enable student university citizenship. Through representative and service roles, students learn how to enact their civic agency in an institutional context. Any by having opportunities for civic engagment their sense of belonging to the home institution and their sense of ownership of their institution strenghten. Both are important for student wellbeing. 

Relevant publications

 

Nuno Teixeira P., Klemenčič M. (2021) Valuing the Civic Role of University Education in an Age of Competition and Rapid Change. In: van't Land H., Corcoran A., Iancu DC. (eds) The Promise of Higher Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67245-4_23, pp. 145-151.

Klemenčič, M., Bergan, S., Primožič, R. (eds.) (2015) Student engagement in Europe: society, higher education and student governance. Council of Europe Higher Education Series No. 20. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing

Klemenčič, M. (2013) Bildung zur demokratischen Bürgergesellschaftlichkeit im Hochschulstudium. In Heuchemer, S., Klammer, U. (eds.) Kompendium für Diversity Management in Studium und Lehre (Band 1). Zentrum für Kompetenzentwicklung für Diversity Management in Studium und Lehre (KomDim) (pp.137-165), Fachhochschule Köln, Universitätet Duisburg-Essen

Klemenčič, M. (2011) The public role of higher education and student participation in higher education governance. In: Brennan, J., Shah, T. (eds.). Higher education and society in changing times: looking back and looking forward (pp. 74-83). London: Centre for Higher Education Research and Information, CHERI

Klemenčič, M. (2010) Bildung zur demokratischen Bürgergesellschaftlichkeit im Hochschulstudium. In Benz, W., Kohler, J. and Landfried, K. (eds.) Handbuch Qualität in Studium und Lehre (pp. 1-28). Berlin: RAABE Academic Publishers

Klemenčič, M. (2010) Higher Education for Democratic Citizenship. In Froment, Eric; Kohler, Jürgen, Purser, Lewis, and Wilson, Lesley (eds.) EUA Bologna Handbook. Making Bologna Work (pp. 1-26). Berlin: RAABE Academic Publishers

Klemenčič, M. (2010) Converging competences: diversity, higher education, and sustainable democracy. In Sjur Bergan and Radu Damian (eds.) Higher education for modern societies: competences and values (pp. 153-167). Strasbourg. Council of Europe Publishing Council of Europe Higher Education Series No. 15

RESEARCH

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