Knowledge democracy & community engagement: challenges in partnership

Abstract

The world around us is faced with enormous challenges of shifting alliances, choices, problems and visions. In this scenario, the future of humanity requires knowledge mobilisation at an unprecedented scale. Institutions of Higher Education are expected to contribute to this knowledge mobilisation in a major way. Yet, sites of knowledge production and dissemination have become multiple; modes of knowledge generation have expanded; knowledge economy may drive global economy, but knowledge society is needed for sustainable co-habitation. Universities and other post-secondary educational institutions must, therefore, find new ways of working together with communities, industry, civil society, media, etc. working in partnerships is not only strategic requirement, it is also survival strategy. Yet, partnerships with dissimilar others can be problematic in the real world. Innovations in such collaborations demand leadership with an inclusive vision of the future.