New book chapter on social responsibility and age-friendly communities
28 April 2017
MICRA researchers Dr Tine Buffel and Prof Chris Phillipson have published a chapter in the new book University Social Responsibility and Quality of Life. A Global Survey of Concepts and Experiences, edited by Daniel T.L. Shek and Robert M. Hollister.
Written in collaboration with Dr Julian Skyrme, Director of Social Responsibility at the University of Manchester, this new chapter explores the role universities can play in promoting social responsibility. Using the Researching Age-Friendly Community project as an illustration, the chapter develops the argument that research can not only benefit society by generating new knowledge, but also contribute to the empowerment of local communities by engaging residents in the research process.
‘Using research as way of empowering neighbouring communities is an important dimension of the University’s social responsibility agenda’ explain the researchers. By encouraging the co-production of knowledge and training older residents as co-researchers, the Researching Age-Friendly Community project provided opportunities ‘for meaningful social engagement and mutual learning exchange’ and helped build bridges between research, practice, policy, and older people. The study was identified by the World Health Organisation as a best practice example of involving older people as co-investigators in researching and developing age-friendly communities.
Published by Springer, University Social Responsibility and Quality of Life. A Global Survey of Concepts and Experiences is one of the first books to explore the notion of University Social Responsibility and includes the first scientific research in this field.