1: Introduction
Historical Contextualization of Land-Grant Universities:
Research Problem and Significance of the Study
Research Problem: How does the Land-Grant university engage with the public in today's context.
Research Questions:
1. How do land-grant universities engage with the local public in the era of globalization?
2. How do land-grant universities engage with the international public in the era of globalization?
3. How do land-grants universities integrate local and international engagement?
4. How do land-grant universities institutionalize global engagement?
Significance of the Study:
1. Addresses a literature gap: Relationship between local engagement & global engagement and institutionalization of this interaction.
2. It is unique: Deconstructs the dichotomy of local versus global and advances an engagement model in which local development and international advancement are not competing values but rather integrated and cooperative processes.
3. It is instrumental in guiding organizational change.
4. It expands the literature: adding nuances to the identity of Land-Grant universities.
Orienting Framework:
Organizational Change
Modifications in the different aspects of organizational culture, practices, or philosophies. It is necessary in order to align with institutional mission, environmental conditions, policies, and outcomes while optimizing resources (Lamm et al., 2018)
Land-Grant Universities
Institutions founded under the premises of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890. (Sorber, 2018; Sorber & Geiger, 2014)
Cooperative Extension System
Knowledge produced at the university is made available to the community through the offices of extension to address community needs. (Rasmussen, 1989; Collins, 2012; Gornish & Rosche, 2018; Dwyer et al., 2017)
Engagement
Collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities (local, regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity. (Carnegie Foundation)
Network Society
Refers to the continued interdependence of sovereign nations in terms of sharing ideas, technologies, and businesses. Territorial contiguity ceases to be precondition for the simultaneity of interactive social practices. Networks increase their value exponentially as they add nodes. (Castells, 2000)
Knowledge Economy
Is a system of consumption and production of goods and services based primarily on knowledge-intensive activities. Research Knowledge is considered a intellectual capital and economic assets(Collins, 2012)
Globalization
Trends involving the interaction and integration in the flow of economy, technology, people, knowledge, and values (Altbach, 2002; Knight, 2004; Hudzik, 2011)
Internationalization
Policies and processes that integrate international or global elements into institutions’ delivery, functions, and purpose (Altbach, 2002; Knight, 2004; Hudzik, 2011)