Conclusions: Futures for Community-University Research Partnerships in Challenging Times?

Abstract

The resources that were made available through the Research Cluster provided much appreciated opportunities to explore the potential benefits of community-university partnerships. As previous chapters in this book have demonstrated, these resources enabled researchers to build upon previous approaches to research partnerships with communities, including previous models and approaches to participative action research (Fais-Borda and Rahman, 1991; Estella et al., 2000; Tandon, 2005; Hart et al., 2007). Community-based research partnerships were to be participative and inclusive, sharing knowledge through processes of dialogue and firmly committed to the pursuit of social justice agendas. Parallels emerge in addition, in terms of building upon previously developed models and approaches to active citizenship learning, social solidarity and community development both in Britain and internationally (Freire, 1972; Fryer, 2010; Laginder et al., 2013).