Goals for Community/University Partnerships
- Mutual trust and respect. The partnership will be built on trust in each other’s goodwill and respect for each other’s knowledge, assets, and interests.
- Shared goals and strategies. Projects will be designed for mutual benefit, with all partners agreeing on the project’s goals and the strategies for reaching them.
- Clear communication. Understanding—across different cultures, languages, and perspectives—will be reached through communication practices that are clear and clearly expressed.
- Flexibility. Few projects (if any!) are free of change. Partners will stay flexible and remain focused on achieving the project’s goals when the unexpected arises.
- Cultural understanding. Differences in culture—from key values to time and staff constraints—will be identified and respected.
- Shared priorities. Roles and responsibilities will be clearly defined, with decision-making based on the best interests of the project and the individual strengths of the partners.
- Reciprocity. The partnership will embrace the dual missions of community-university research: the community’s pursuit of positive change and the university’s quest for new knowledge. Both are equally valuable—and mutually beneficial.
As New Jersey’s state university, Rutgers shares with local community organizations a commitment to positive change through public service and new knowledge. From simple surveys to clinical trials, community-university research partnerships bring together each partner’s talents and resources to achieve a greater good. Through collaborative research, Rutgers and the community create knowledge that builds meaningful and lasting change.
For more information about building partnerships, contact Melissa Selesky at selesky@rutgers.edu.
