The Metropolitan Mission

As both a Metropolitan University of distinction and a Carnegie Doctoral Research institution, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) transforms and improves the quality of life locally, nationally, and globally. Central to UNO's mission and strategic plan is community engagement. Learn more about the UNO Strategic Plan.

What is Community Engagement?

UNO defines community engagement as "the collaboration between the University and its local, regional, national and global communities for the exchange of knowledge and resources."

While reinforcing the commitment to the Carnegie Foundation's definition of community engagement, UNO values community engagement in its broadest form and as such recognizes the existence of the community engagement spectrum.

Community Engagement can take many forms, including curricular engagement (service learning and community-based learning) and engaged research. Community engagement is believed to increase students' sense of civic engagement.

Engagement as a High-Impact Practice 

Academic Community Engagement is a high-impact practice. High-impact practices refer to educational practices, such as service learning, community-based learning, research, internships, and capstones, that connect students to deep learning.