The University of Westminster welcomed academics, practitioners and community leaders to Westminster Business School for its second annual Public Community Engagement (PCE) Event, showcasing how collaboration between universities and communities is creating meaningful social impact across London and beyond.
Hosted by organisers Dr Sheeja Sivaprasad, Dr Kumari Juddoo and Sobia Razzaq, the conference built on the success of last year’s event, which highlighted Westminster's Knowledge Exchange projects that support economically inactive adults, refugees and people experiencing homelessness. Following on from these discussions, this year's gathering focused on strengthening civic partnerships, sharing best practice and exploring the evolving role of universities as essential institutions within their communities.
Anna Christodoulou, Senior Knowledge Exchange Manager at the University of Westminster, opened the event by emphasising that knowledge exchange is not an additional task after research, but rather a way of ensuring research creates meaningful impact and, regardless of discipline or career stage, creates opportunities to build partnerships that benefit both academia and society.
The keynote address was delivered by Shaid Parveen, Associate Dean for Enterprise and Engagement at Aston University, who examined the civic responsibilities of higher education institutions in an increasingly challenging landscape. Referencing the recent report Civic Capitals at Risk: The Fragile Foundations of the Civic University by Julian Dobson and Dr Femi Owolade, she highlighted the importance of universities strengthening their relationships with local communities and embedding public engagement as a core institutional mission.
The event also celebrated the continued success of Westminster Business School's community engagement initiatives. Sobia Razzaq, Senior Lecturer in Law, highlighted several initiatives delivered during the past year, such as the University’s prison education projects which were ran in partnership with HMP Pentonville. These projects included a public speaking programme, a Chartered Management Institute (CMI) accredited leadership development programme and an entrepreneurship pitch day, demonstrating how higher education can support rehabilitation, confidence and future opportunities while creating valuable learning experiences for everyone involved.
The themes of empowerment, collaboration and community impact resonated in an inspirational finale from Jazz Singh, Founder of Empower Ability and Beyond the Sentence, whose profoundly personal account traced his journey from childhood adversity to a successful corporate career to imprisonment and ultimately rebuilding his life through purpose and service. Today, Singh works with organisations across the criminal justice sector to improve opportunities for rehabilitation and employment, offering a compelling reminder of the positive impact that education, compassion and second chances can have on individuals and communities alike.
The event closed with a vote of thanks from Victoria Patrick, Research and Knowledge Exchange Manager at Westminster Business School, before attendees continued conversations over lunch and networking.
As Westminster continues to expand its civic mission, the Public Community Engagement Event reinforced the University's commitment to working alongside communities rather than for them. By bringing together academics, students, community groups and people with lived experience, the event demonstrated how public engagement can create continuing benefits for individuals, higher education institutions and communities.
Razzaq said: "Public community engagement is about building relationships that empower communities, enrich education and create knowledge with impact beyond the University. Today's speakers demonstrated the value of collaboration, sharing inspiring examples of how meaningful partnerships can drive positive change in society."
This event directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4: Quality Education, 10: Reduced Inequalities and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about Westminster Business School.
Learn more about the University of Westminster’s community impact.
Related articles
