SmithGroup’s Post

It's delightful walking around #HamiltonOntario with McMaster University Vice-Provost for Teaching and Learning, Kimberley Dej. People routinely stop and say hi to "Professor Kim," then talk about their transformative experiences in the #McMasterDiscoveryProgram. Or the #MCYU, McMaster's Children & Youth University outreach. Or CityLAB Hamilton. Or McMaster University Continuing Education. Or events with community partners like #BARC, the #BayAreaRestorationCouncil. This is the critical importance of #CommunityEngagement: #Universities are #AnchorInstitutions, and as such we need to understand our mission in the broadest possible terms. Universities can change lives, neighbourhoods, and cities for the better, but that isn't just about tuition and students, grants and labs, patents and publications. It's about being genuinely anchored in the communities we serve, in creative, inclusive, and inspiring ways.

➡️ 🔎 Did you know Georgia Southern University has eight colleges, four research institutes, and 12 research centers that ensure academic outcomes are focused on community impact? Learn more about this featured #college on CollegeXpress! #colleges #highered #highereducation #collegesanduniversities #collegesearch #collegeadmission #exploringcolleges #students #highschoolstudents #collegestudents

Universities are no longer judged solely on their academic performance, a student-centric makeover is key to giving a campus a competitive edge. After all, a university’s campus makes that all-important first impression, and it will be the backdrop to lasting memories and shared selfies.    The campus of the future includes green vistas with natural planting, water features, meandering paths, and vibrant social spaces that bring students together and combine technology and comfort. Manned reception desks will be a thing of the past – Gen Z are digital natives, they want to go to a screen and be told who to see and where to go. This sort of responsiveness is essential, but we also need to build in flexibility because we can’t second guess what students will want in 2030.     In the final edition of our University Challenge series, Ridge experts detail nine steps to helping a campus win the university ratings game 👉 https://lnkd.in/d35-MEU9   Aston University | University of Portsmouth | Matthew Winn MRICS | Andrew Bissell FSLL MILP MCIBSE | Abby Foster (née Bartlett) | Simon Mason    #University #Campus #StudentExperience #BuiltEnvironment #HigherEducation  

The unemployment rate for autistic adults is approximately 85%.* This is higher than what studies report for adults from other disability groups (who also can have high unemployment rates). If you are a college educator, workforce professional, employer, advocate, parent, or individual who wants to do something about this statistic, come to #Boston this August for the Northeast Regional Higher Education #Neurodiversity Coalition Conference! This is a chance to expand your knowledge of neurodiversity, explore and share trends and best practices in neurodiversity employment, and learn about tools for creating neuroinclusive campuses and workplaces. And, if you have never heard John Elder Robison speak in person, this is your chance! Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gGVCH8mp and register at https://lnkd.in/gyR3xzcR. *Unemployment statistic taken from this article: https://lnkd.in/e3KFUFJi #HigherEd #Employment #WorkplaceInclusion #DisabilityInclusion #DisabilityAdvocate #DisabilityJobs #InclusionMatters

Private universities can be a beneficial partner to struggling downtowns. However, the best interests of schools and cities do not always align. With this in mind, what role should universities play in their city or town’s development? We interview Scott Selig, Duke's Associate Vice President for Capital Assets and Real Estate to learn more. Read: https://lnkd.in/eBFTWzZn

Daniel Elsea on campus planning: "Maybe it’s time to retire the campus plan as we have known it. In its place should be a more outward-looking type of plan where the often much more significant and complex issues pertaining to the university’s context are given just as much importance as to what has carefully been planned within." https://lnkd.in/ewSCPW4x

International partnerships can really thrive when they are multi-dimensional. Our partnership with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is an exemplar of that approach. May it grow from strength to strength. #internationaleducation #globalengagement

This typically thoughtful article by Kevin House is well worth reading. Dr Kevin House, FCCT, FRSA

Railroad street Park in Hartwell Georgia

Of course it is