What Happened?
The Citizens’ Efficiency Commission released formal recommendations regarding collaboration between local governments and institutions of higher education that will enhance learning and the public workforce.
The Goal
Higher education institutions have access to vast resources that could be applied to governmental activities simultaneously for a mutual benefit. Local agencies and businesses could gain access to technological, intellectual and social resources by partnering with higher education providers and offering educational insight to better prepare students for real world application of such tools. Partnerships include internship programs, class projects or research conducted by faculty and students.
How It Works
The CEC identified expertise gaps in local governments and many businesses that could be reduced or filled with increased access to valuable resources provided by higher education institutions. To achieve the collaboration, local governmental agencies and businesses must:
- Create outreach programs
- Develop operational structures
- Build interest in participating institutions
- Establish leadership opportunities for long-term sustainability
Such strategies would strengthen local government and business performance, while allowing students and faculty to play a greater role in community projects and improvements.
How To Prepare
When assessing opportunities for partnerships with higher education institutions, the CEC recommends municipalities review:
- Existing structures and mechanisms in place to apply intellectual resources from the academic sector
- Professional resources missing in the public and economic sectors
- Structures needed to support collaboration with higher education participants for optimal efficiency and cooperation
The University of Tulsa studied one such effort in Sangamon County that involved the creation of an internship program to increase learning opportunities and public agency efficiency. The symbiotic relationship between university and local government resulted in:
- Well-trained workforce with hands-on experience in the classroom and real world settings
- Cost-efficient source of staffing for the government through flexible internships
- Source of pre-professionals who participated in the internship programs
- Fresh ideas from interns with experiences outside public service
The internship program offered benefits to both students and agencies while reducing overall spending.
Connect With Business Leaders
Another increasingly popular strategy among municipalities is to bring local businesses into the mix when partnering with higher education institutions. Communities across the country are developing workforce projects that bring together regional and national industry leaders with local universities and public agencies to address educational enhancements and overcome workforce challenges.
According to the Business Higher Education Forum, there are many undergraduate partnership strategy and regional workforce projects in effect to better meet the needs of local businesses while providing real world application of academic coursework for students.
For example, the University of Wisconsin System is partnering with the Milwaukee Water Council and other agencies to integrate engineering, science and technology coursework into developing a sustainable water system. Students gain access to new learning opportunities with business leaders while making a direct impact on the efficiency of local services.
Education Collaboration
Gov1 has tracked other such projects that team up employers, local agencies and students to increase efficiency, as well as strategies to make better use of resources in the academic setting.