“One must strive for community service and develop the community of Grahamstown,” says Dr Saleem Badat, referring to Rhodes University’s vision and mission statement.
In his keynote address last Monday evening, the Vice Chancellor referred to the importance of giving back to the community, marking the official opening of Community Engagement Week.
“One must strive for community service and develop the community of Grahamstown,” says Dr Saleem Badat, referring to Rhodes University’s vision and mission statement.
In his keynote address last Monday evening, the Vice Chancellor referred to the importance of giving back to the community, marking the official opening of Community Engagement Week.
Badat complemented Friday’s training programme for new community engagement volunteers and spoke about service learning, which seeks to infuse community engagement with research and education.
“Community engagement must build on the activities of the university, producing graduates who are not disconnected from the community.” He emphasised the relationship between community engagement and academics.
“There is a limit to how much you can learn and discover about yourself through books,” he said. “Fifteen years into democracy, and we still see evidence of apartheid in town,” said Badat, talking about the vast divide between the east and west of Grahamstown between poverty and wealth.
“We are one of the most unequal societies in the world,” he said. Dr Sizwe Mabizela, deputy vice-chancellor of academics and student affairs, added to Badat’s emphasis on the importance of community engagement.
“It plays a pivotal role in building the character of students,” he said. “It is shaping both our teaching and learning.”
Dr Peter Clayton, deputy vice-chancellor in charge of research and development, provided examples of both research in community engagement, such as some Rhodes students completing their PhDs in service learning, and community engagement in research, such as the Institute for Water Research.
“I feel like I live an isolated and selfish life. I want to be able to engage with the Grahamstown community and share whatever skills I have that will be helpful to myself as well as to others,” said Gabi Falanga, a student volunteer at Friday’s training session.
The training was held for all newly registered volunteers and prepares them to venture beyond their academic confines and to become involved with the broader Grahamstown community.
Mabizela also spoke at the event, explaining to new student volunteers the three central functions of university, namely: teaching and learning, research, and community engagement.
“This function is not very well understood,” he said. “Community engagement goes much deeper than simple philanthropic activity. It is about building mutual beneficial partnerships with the community around us.” Mabizela inspired the new volunteers with the spirit of ubuntu.
“You are because I am, I am because you are,” he said, explaining that it is not enough to leave Rhodes with just good results. “We want to produce graduates who will be able to provide sustainable development after graduation,” he said.
“We hope that you see this as a fundamental part of your life, and not just as a nice thing to do in your spare time,” said Dr Margie Maistry, director of community engagement at Rhodes.
“Community engagement is becoming more prominent in universities.” Both Friday’s training programme and the Vice Chancellor’s keynote speech ended on an inspirational note, with Ghandi’s famous quote, “The best way to lose yourself is in the service of others.”
