City Communities: Needs and Requests for Interaction with the City University

Abstract

Informal urban communities as self-organizing voluntary associations of residents based on common interests and pressing problems are a natural part of the social life of the city. The classification of communities distinguishes many subspecies: by interests, by management technologies, by place of residence or location, created around a specific goal or problem, etc. Each of these associations has its own deficits and requests, to which the Moscow City University (hereinafter – MCU, University) can give an answer and offer mutually beneficial collaborations. The purpose of the study was to identify the potential needs and existing deficits of urban communities, as well as prospects for cooperation between Moscow City University and them. The novelty of the work lies in the development of strategies for cooperation between urban communities and MCU campuses through the study of their deficits and requests. The study involved more than 200 respondents from neighborly communities, urban associations of amateur athletes, new settlers and parents. As a result of the study, the needs and deficits of urban communities were identified, factors hindering the full-fledged cooperation of University campuses with informal urban groups were identified, conclusions were drawn about strategies for mutually beneficial interaction of the University with urban communities, namely: 1) provision of services such as the development of special educational programs for the interests of the community, psychological, pedagogical and legal advice, assistance of volunteers in organizing events, access to the territory and existing infrastructure; 2) provision of specific services arising from the interests and related to the topic of communities, for example - functional examination of the health of runners, consultations for parents special children or a place to store flowers of good neighbors; 3) the demand for both gratuitous and paid services; 4) the development of new safety regulations when visiting the University by citizens; 5) a turn towards working for the city and the openness of the University.