Advancing Communication Between Local Authorities and Citizens: A Mediating Role of Universities

Abstract

Students are understood as intellectual, physical, emotional, and spiritual human beings who interact reciprocally with the political, economic, social, cultural, and spiritual dimensions of their communities (Maistry & Thakrar, 2012, p. 65). In this context, a new study course was developed and piloted to strengthen students’ preparedness for community engagement practice. The article presents this study course, outlining its aims, content, structure, and instructional design, and discusses its accessibility for higher education institutions seeking to foster citizen participation processes. The implementation of the course at Mykolas Romeris University (Vilnius, Lithuania) is used as an illustrative case to demonstrate its applicability and potential impact. The course “Participation Management: Tools for Citizen Engagement and Community Empowerment” builds on students’ knowledge to promote compassionate, socially engaged, critical, and responsible citizenship. By engaging students with real community challenges and integrating them into purposeful activities, universities assume a mediating role in addressing societal issues and preparing future professionals capable of contributing to community resilience.