Engaged Scholarship

CTSI's process for working with communities is based on the principles of engaged scholarship. Defined by University of Minnesota scholar Andrew H. Van
de Ven, Ph.D., engaged scholarship is:

"a participative form of research for obtaining the different perspectives of key stakeholders (researchers, users, clients, sponsors, and practitioners) in studying complex problems."

Accomplishing true community partnerships to improve health requires new ways of working together. Engaged scholarship involves a nonhierarchical collaborative learning community characterized by mutual respect and trust.

CTSI's Office of Community Engagement for Health will help build community-University partnerships. OCEH will work with community partners to co-develop processes, information, training, guidelines, and incentives for engaged scholarship. Collaborative research will involve scientific professionals and community members working together as equal partners to develop, conduct, and disseminate research that is relevant to the community.