This article was reposted from IUPUI’s Office of Community Engagement, originally published on September 20, 2017.
IUPUI is excited to be an early adopter of the Collaboratory™, a web-based platform that tracks and monitors partnerships, activities, and collaborations among universities and their communities. The data collected through this system can be used to inform decision-making surrounding IUPUI’s role as an anchor institution in Indianapolis and tell the story of IUPUI’s research and creative activity, teaching and learning, and community engagement to advance the state of Indiana and the intellectual growth of its citizens. IUPUI faculty and staff can access the Collaboratory™ through one.iu.edu.
The system collects information on not only curricular-based community engagement projects and their partners/sites, but also data on public (engaged) scholarship, community-based research, outreach programs, community service activities, partnerships, and co-curricular activities that utilize community engagement principles, practices, or pedagogies.
Top four things Collaboratory™ will do for IUPUI
• Build a comprehensive story about IUPUI’s community engagement (e.g., community-engaged research, curricular and co-curricular programs, outreach, partnerships).
• Identify opportunities to create synergy and foster collaboration around our communities’ most pressing issues (e.g., public health, education, economic, workforce development).
• Support fundraising and development efforts that align with IUPUI’s mission and vision.
• Collect data for local, state, national and international awards and recognitions.
Top four things the Collaboratory™ will do for faculty and schools
• Tell you who is doing what, where, with whom and for what purpose: sponsored research, student involvement, public events, length and focus of partnerships, and more
• Create an opportunity to promote greater interdisciplinary collaboration and coherence.
• Leverage the knowledge and expertise of faculty to increase funding, resources, and support.
• Illustrate the role of faculty, staff, students, Centers/Institutes, and initiatives in community engaged work in order to evaluate and internally recognize community engaged activities.
Types of Activities (which may involve students, faculty, staff, community, or alumni):
- Community-based research; community-engaged research; public scholarship
- Courses, including those utilizing high-impact practices (e.g., service-learning, first year seminars, capstone)
- Outreach programs (e.g., K-12 programs, events, clinics)
- Community service events (e.g., donation drives, fundraisers, volunteer events)
- Partnerships
Types of data collected related to activities:
- Partners:
- Community partners
- Other IUPUI units involved (e.g., Centers, Institutes),
- Other university partners
- Faculty/Staff partners (interdisciplinary work)
- Student involvement (e.g., undergraduate research, internship, assistantship)
- Issue area (e.g., education, health and wellness, environment)
- Populations served
- Location of the activity (if applicable)
- Funding (external or internal)
- Intended Outcomes (i.e., Institutional Outcomes, Student Outcomes, Scholarly Outcomes, Public Service Outcomes)
Contact Kristin Norris, Director of Assessment, IUPUI Office of Community Engagement with any questions you may have about The Collaboratory or assessing, tracking and monitoring community engagement at IUPUI: [email protected] OR 317-278-0013.
