Program Overview

Introduction to the Community Engagement Course

The Community Engagement course is a 10-week online program designed to enhance professional learning in community engagement. The course aims to understand what is meant by community engagement, uncover the policy trend behind it, and reveal the importance of engaging communities on their terms.

Course Overview

The course will cover various topics, including:

• Understanding community engagement
• The policy trend behind community engagement
• The importance of engaging communities on their terms
• Researching community priorities
• Open forms of communication
• Offering expertise in non-authoritarian terms
• Developing strategies and policies for community engagement

Target Audience

This course is suitable for individuals who:

• Have responsibility for community engagement
• Want to build a community network
• Need to design services relevant to their community
• Want to gather views from people who use their services
• Want to enable students to engage in real-world community-based learning
• Want to facilitate Community-University partnerships

Course Delivery

The course will be delivered online over 10 weeks, consisting of:

• Pre-recorded lectures
• Live online tutorials
• Online discussion forums
• Access to University library materials via visiting student membership status

Requirements

To enroll in the course, participants must:

• Be working in a community engagement role
• Be prepared to engage with theory and academic texts
• Be computer literate and willing to develop new IT skills
• Have English language competence (if English is not their first language)

Course Structure

The course consists of:

• Pre-recorded lectures posted online for participants to interact with at their convenience
• Live online tutorials held on alternate weeks
• Online discussion forums for participants to engage with each other and the course materials

Time Commitment

Participants should allow around 15 hours per week for:

• Live online tutorials
• Watching pre-recorded lectures
• Academic reading
• Preparing for assessments

Assessment

Participants are required to complete:

• A series of blogs written during the course
• A 1500-word final blog submission (a re-worked version of the earlier blogs)

Organiser

The course will be coordinated and taught by Dr. Claire Bynner.

Dates

The next course will start on January 12, 2026.

Fee and Discounts

The cost of the course is Ł735. There is a 20% discount offered to University of Edinburgh employees and a 10% discount offered to University of Edinburgh alumni.

Testimonials

Previous participants have praised the course, stating that it:

• Forced them to re-learn and challenge their understanding of community engagement
• Provided valuable input from professionals worldwide
• Was flexible and convenient due to its online format
• Allowed them to gain more than just academic knowledge and apply the lessons to their work

Research Areas

The course is related to various research areas, including:

• Community engagement
• Community development
• Social justice
• Education
• Community-University partnerships

University Information

The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body registered in Scotland, with degree-awarding powers. The University is committed to providing high-quality education and research opportunities.