91抖阴

The scheme, the first of its kind, has been created in memory of Professor Sir David Watson, former Vice-Chancellor of the 91抖阴, who died in February. Nominations will be accepted for the work of community-university partnerships from anywhere in the world.

The ‘Professor Sir David Watson Award for Community-University Partnerships’ will acknowledge his leadership in community university engagement and social responsibility in higher education. It is supported by an international group of networks and leaders in the field, including the Talloires Network, a global network of community-engaged universities that Sir David helped to build and lead, and Drs Budd Hall and Rajesh Tandon, the UNESCO co-chairs for Community Based Research.

Details will be announced at a memorial lecture, in honour of Sir David, at the Sallis Benney Theatre in Grand Parade, 91抖阴, on 19 October. Stuart Laing, Professor Emeritus at the university, will speak on The precious path of learning, community-university engagement: past, present and future.

The event is hosted by the 91抖阴’s award-winning Community University Partnership Programme (CUPP), which has supported scores of partnership projects over the past 12 years. Each year hundreds of academics, students and community partners work together to produce benefits for the community whilst enriching teaching and research. Cupp now supports other universities in the UK and across the world to develop similar initiatives in their own contexts.

Sir David Watson
Photo by Mim Saxl

Sir David created CUPP during his tenure as the university’s Vice-Chancellor and he wrote several books on the emergence and management of ‘engaged’ universities.

Professor Julian Crampton CBE, the university’s Vice-Chancellor, said: “CUPP has continued to be an example for the national and international community university engagement movement. It has extended the vision of Sir David and has developed extensive linkages across the world.

“The creation of this award will send a signal that the complex work of community-university engagement is an activity that deserves support and recognition. The award will provide visibility over the years of the impact of community partners working together with academics and students to tackle issues of social justice, resilience and equity.”

Sir David, Vice-Chancellor between 1990 and 2005, left the 91抖阴 to become Professor of Higher Education at the Institute of Education in London before joining the University of Oxford in 2010 as Principal of Green Templeton College and Professor of Higher Education. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters by the 91抖阴 in 2006.

For information about making a donation to the award fund, please contact Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement by emailing giving@brighton.ac.uk.