University Sains Malaysia launches the Asia Pacific University-Community Engagement Network

43 universities from 10 countries in Asia Pacific gathered in Penang on July 2011 to hold the Asia Pacific University-Community Engagement Network (APUCEN 2011) Summit, hosted by the University Sains Malaysia (USM). During the gathering, participants discussed various issues including community projects who want accomplished in a holistic manner that will benefit. All participants registered as a APUCEN member. The Executive Summary of the APUCEN can be read here.

The Asia-Pacific University-Community Engagement Network (APUCEN) is a regional network of academic institutions concerned with the promoting of the culture of community-university engagement by universities in a proactive holistic and participatory way.  It was initiated in the middle of 2010 by the Division of Industry & Community Network, University Sains Malaysia. The establishment of APUCEN is in line with USM’s mission to transform and develop the socio-economic well beings of the world’s marginalized groups, the ‘Bottom Billion’, as well as to establish the university as a relevant and active partner of the community.

The objectives of the regional network are as follows:

• To promote and instill community engagement concepts and values to staff and students of institutions of higher learning
• To create capacity building for university-community partnerships
• To disseminate and share information, knowledge, resources and good practices in community engagement
• To implement joint flagship projects
• To collaboratively develop resources to support regional flagship projects

More information can be read here.