Community Engagement

Rhodes University aspires to provide outstanding scholarly experiences for its researchers and students; to produce graduates that are knowledgeable active citizens, who are committed to social justice and human rights.

These aspirations are not Rhodes University’s alone, as current policy for Higher Education Institutions (HEI) elevates community engagement alongside teaching and learning, and research.    

Service Learning:

Service learning is the incorporation of community engagement activities and principles into university teaching and learning curriculums. These community engagement components are credit bearing, and aim to use the expertise of each department to the benefit of identified community needs, as well the students’ experiential learning needs.

Staff members can apply for small grants for service learning courses from the Community Engagement office. Email Julie-Anne Lothian: j.lothian@ru.ac.za for more information.

For Service Learning curriculum information please contact Amanda Hlengwa (h.hlengwa@ru.ac.za ) from CHERTL

Community Engagement Research:

All Rhodes University research policies stress the need to disseminate knowledge and research produced. The Community Engagement office believes it necessary to not only put further effort into the dissemination process of research produced, but also ensure that the research methods used by academics at Rhodes University aim to be mutually respectful and beneficial.

For more information about the Community Engagement office’s activities in research please contact Julie-Anne Lothian: j.lothian@ru.ac.za 

Community Partners:

 We have established good working relationships with 36 Community Partner organisations in Grahamstown. These community partner sites include schools, youth clubs, arts organisations and other Non Profit Organisations in Grahamstown. These organisations are able and willing to partner with Rhodes University departments, student groups and individual academics in worthwhile community engagement projects.

If any academics wish to work in partnership with our community partners, please contact Vuyani Zondani: v.zondani@ru.ac.za

Student Volunteer Programme:

The Student Volunteer Programme (SVP) is an organised volunteer programme run through the Community Engagement office, and provides Rhodes University students with the opportunity to work with one of our community partners for a minimum of one hour a week. The SVP has been a great starting point for students to practice their disciplines, as well as to get to know the town in which they are studying. 

For more information about the Student Volunteer Programme please contact Nosipho Mngomezulu: n.mngomezulu@ru.ac.za

Student Organisations:

Rhodes University is made up of diverse student organisations. From halls to student societies, various Rhodes University students have organised themselves in order to address community needs in Grahamstown; many of which have made a dramatic impact in Grahamstown, through Water Harvesting programmes, to Food Security and Education based student societies.

If any student organisation would like assistance or information about community engagement based activities please contact Vuyani Zondani: v.zondani@ru.ac.za

For further information please refer to : http://www.ru.ac.za/communityengagement/