As a major research university located in a major urban area, USF has significant relationships with its surrounding host communities. The neighborhoods, institutions, and people of the local region offer opportunities for citizens and scholars to work together on issues of relevance to the community, the nation, and the world. Collaborative partnerships contribute to the research agenda and training of faculty and students in a wide variety of disciplines, and knowledge gained from these activities should be used to address local needs and problems.
As a metropolitan Research I university, USF will serve as a hub in a knowledge-based society in which various communities are involved in all phases of the knowledge process, as opposed to traditional models of universities as dispensers of knowledge in a one-way process. The Office of Community Engagement and Partnerships will assist USF in becoming a fully engaged university integrates teaching, research, and service into a delivery approach that involves its constituents and responds to the needs of diverse communities.