The Good, the Bad and the Very Small - What are the special challenges/opportunities of Micro-university sites?

Abstract

Micro-university sites sit at the axis of the relationship between a large institution and local community, bridging differences in language, protocol, expectations, and highlighting the importance of clarity, commitment and communication. Sites like RMIT Hamilton in rural south west Victoria see 'the good, the bad, and the ugly' of community engagement from both the university perspective and the community perspective. They understand firsthand the dual challenge of embeddedness. But their voices are small. This paper considers key issues identified by staff at one micro-university site, and asks: How can micro-university sites document their experiences and leverage their knowledge, so as to achieve their strategic potential as sites of embedded community engagement?