Social impact survey results

As a continuation of Universities Canada’s work over the past decade on campus-community collaboration, Universities Canada is leading a pan-Canadian initiative to map, strengthen and promote the social impact of Canadian universities. As part of the Social Impact Initiative, Universities Canada launched a survey with its member institutions to better understand how Canada’s universities are strengthening their local communities, as well as to guide the initiative’s next steps.

To explore the range of priorities, practices and partnerships across Canadian universities, the survey focused on seven categories: institutional strategy; a continuum of practice; measuring social impact; priority areas; barriers; activities to strengthen impact; and partnerships. This report outlines the methodology undertaken, considers key takeaways by survey category, and concludes with strategic considerations for Universities Canada’s Social Impact Initiative.