International Partnership Institute

International Partnership Institute: Reciprocal Partnerships: Transforming Higher Education and Community for the Future

On May 18^th and 19th, 2009, Portland State University hosted the International Partnership Institute in Portland, Oregon. The Institute was organized around two primary goals: 1) building a strong knowledge-base of partnership understandings and practices; and 2) creating an international network to improve partnership development in higher education. To achieve these objectives, the program engaged a diverse group of higher education faculty and staff as well as representatives from community partner organizations. With over 160 participants from 25 states, and international participants from Canada, Egypt, and South Africa, the Institute aimed to address a critical gap in the broader field of community engagement in higher education by better understanding community-campus partnership development. Participants joined the Institute from 57 public and private academic institutions and 34 community organizations for two days of presentations from the field, problem-solving sessions, in-depth conversations, analysis of practices, role plays and demonstrations, and authentic group processes.

In post- Institute evaluations, 89.2% participants stated that the Institute “deepened [their] knowledge of the practices of partnerships,” while 81.8% expressed that the Institute, “deepened [their] understandings of partnerships.” 80% of those surveyed requested an annual Partnership Institute.
Participants described the Institute in the following ways:

[The Institute] really deepened my understanding of the difference that these partnerships make. Through the experience I have grown my commitment to the partnership I participate in and am excited to take on more partnerships in the future.

[The Institute] offered ideas combined with inspiration and examples. I was very impressed with the speakers and sessions and was able to see how I might integrate their ideas into my work.

It was really helpful to see how other universities are engaged in this work and from a university-commitment level, it was great to see all the examples of this work happening at PSU.

A common thread was the idea of integrating community organizing principals into this work. I have heard for a while, ‘It's all about relationships,’ but this is the first conference where I was presented with models for establishing and maintaining those relationships.

Simply being at Portland State was a great way of doing this. As a clear national leader in this work, it was great to be among the people who are doing the promising practices.

A second International Partnership Institute is scheduled for May 2011. Details forthcoming.

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