Assessing Community-University Engagement: Scale Development and Empirical Validation

Abstract

This study aims to assess and measure Community-University Engagement (CUE) through the development and validation of a comprehensive scale tailored to the Indian higher education context. The paper focuses on identifying key dimensions of CUE and creating tools to measure engagement across the academic community, including students, professors, and educational administrators. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining focus groups and in-depth interviews to identify relevant dimensions. Item generation was followed by Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (n=250) to validate the structure, while Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to test the scale’s predictive validity. The findings reveal three distinct levels of CUE—personal, communal, and institutional—each with unique engagement predictors. Based on these levels, three distinct scales were developed: one for students and professors that encompasses all engagement predictors, and a shorter, institutional-focused scale for administrators. The implications of the study suggest that administrators can apply these scales to develop targeted community engagement practices, enhancing institutional collaboration with the community through data-driven strategies.