Civic engagement is a cornerstone of DCU’s uniqueness. DCU aims to be a driver of social and economic development in our local and regional community. Civic engagement is best defined as a mutually beneficial relationship between the university and the community. It encompasses local, national and global individuals and groups committed to social, economic, political and cultural development. In brief, civic engagement means working to 'make a difference' in the civic life of our communities through the development of appropriate knowledge, skills and values.
What do we do?
Civic engagement at DCU encompasses a range of activities through which staff and students engage with the needs of communities. These include community-based learning, engaged research, student and staff volunteering, public and enterprise engagement as well as sustainability engagement. Dublin City University was one of the first higher education institutions in Ireland to develop and launch an explicit civic and community engagement policy. The current DCU Strategic Plan 2017 – 2022 outlines specific activities to achieve the goal of “Pursuing active engagement with our communities - We are, and always have been, a highly engaged university, the very antithesis of the ‘Ivory Tower University.”