Dalhousie University
EN-9: Community Partnerships

Dalhousie has many community partnerships from collaborative research programs with community through the Atlantic Center for Excellence in Human Health to International community-based programs with the Faculty of Agriculture and the Faculty of Medicine.
One particular community-campus based partnership happens through the Faculty of Management’s– Management Without Borders class. - http://www.dal.ca/dept/DALVision/innovative-peers/curriculum-development/inter-program-teamwork-in-management.html

The Management Without Borders Class has been in existence for six years and is ongoing. It is an innovative graduate class that brings together students from all management disciplines to work on sustainability related community projects. The course curriculum and main community-based projects focus on understanding social, environment, political, and economic factors in decision-making.

Each year in the summer, applications are sent out by Dalhousie faculty/staff to communities and business partners to identify their project ideas. Projects descriptions are presented to mixed student groups early September. Students then select projects. Students represent the four graduate schools - School for Resource and Environmental Studies, School of Public Administration, School of Information Management, and Rowe School of Business. This year 150 students worked with 31 community partner organizations for four months on their projects. Projects have a sustainability context that link elements of environment, economic and social factors. The 2014 projects included topics such as Developing a case for Regional Planning as a Cornerstone for Sustainable Prosperity in Nova Scotia with the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities and Cultivating Local Economy: Uncovering the Economic Impact of Nova Scotia's Farmers' Market with the Farmer’s Market Association of Nova Scotia. A complete listing can be found at - http://www.dal.ca/faculty/management/news-events/events/2014/12/02/management_without_borders_poster_conference.html

Dalhousie has long-standing collaborative partnerships with community –based organizations. The Cities and Environment Unit (CEU) reflects the grassroots nature of some of these initiatives. CEU has ongoing partnerships with First Nations communities in Canada every year for over 20 years. CEU developed in partnership with Wagmatcook First Nation, a nationally and internationally recognized community-based, comprehensive planning for First Nations. Each year for the last number of years CEU have been working with First Nations communities on community planning. Each planning cycle may take one to a couple of years. A number of of these planning reports are available at - http://ceu.architectureandplanning.dal.ca/publications.php

“A comprehensive approach indicates that planning is not one project or one idea about community development. It highlights how all aspects of a community are connected; a community’s physical organization is inherently tied to social, economic, environmental and cultural realities. Linking these elements together creates opportunities for positive change though planning and design that can unite different sectors and people together.

A community-based planning process involves meaningful engagement with community members. Youth, Elders, Band staff, and community members at large are actively involved in the research, design and implementation of their Comprehensive Community Plan (CCP). An action-oriented method focuses on implementing kick-start projects, an immediate way to begin making a “difference on the ground”. Kick-start projects are a way for community members to see how their CCP can take shape in their community and instill a sense of pride and ownership. A number of these projects have also involved bringing students together with First Nations communities to design and construct projects.

Community planning is a way for First Nations communities to feel empowered to determine their own futures. Building a knowledge base here at Dalhousie and working with First Nations in the field is both gratifying and challenging work. The CEU is proud to be engaging in this research and fieldwork and continuing to build capacity within First Nations communities.” - http://www.dal.ca/research/about_research_atdal/aboriginal-and-indigenous-research.html

Dalhousie is involved in many transformative partnerships from the Dalhousie Planning School and Office of Sustainability working with a number of municipalities and provincial government on climate change planning efforts to a transformative partnership called the Ocean Tracking Network.

Numerous organizations from local to international governments, ngos, and academia are involved in the development and management of the Ocean Tracking Network (OTN). The vision of OTN is enabling international sustainable management of valued aquatic species by providing knowledge of animal movements, survival and habitats and of how all are linked to environmental conditions. Fostering technological and operational innovation that will revolutionize our management of the ocean.

This is a multi-year partnership project that has funding and leadership from Dalhousie University along with numerous partner organizations. Management of OTN is by the broad OTN Council. In addition there are international scientific advisors and community groups participating in OTN activities internationally. - http://oceantrackingnetwork.org/otn-array-supports-fish-tracking-in-south-africa/