State of Town and Gown Profession Research Project Now Live

By Jordan Meates • 30 January 2026

Help Shape the Future of Town–Gown Practice 

The UK Town & Gown Association (UKTGA), in collaboration with the International Town and Gown Association (ITGA) and Canadian Town and Gown Association (CTGA), is conducting a landmark study to understand how town–gown work is structured, resourced, and supported, and to identify emerging challenges, opportunities, and skills for the future. 

What do we mean by Town & Gown? 

Town and Gown refers to the relationship between a university (“gown”) and the surrounding local or municipal community (“town”). It is sometimes referred to as university-community partnerships, or community-engaged (scholarship) within institutions. It includes collaboration, engagement, and coordination on shared priorities, as well as managing neighbourhood issues in areas with high student populations—such as housing, student behaviour, noise, waste, safety, and parking. ​​​​

About the Project 

The purpose of this research is to understand the current state of town–gown relations across the sector, including how the field is structured, resourced, and supported, and the emerging challenges, opportunities, and skills needed for the future. The evidence gathered will help strengthen recognition of town–gown work as a professional field, support advocacy, inform professional development and training initiatives, and enable institutions to learn from effective national and international models. 

Take Part: 

Survey link: Complete the Survey 

Time required: Approximately 30 minutes 

Deadline: 27 March, 2026

Optional focus groups are available for those who opt in through the survey 
 

Participation is voluntary, and responses are anonymous unless you opt in for follow-up discussions. Further details about the project, your participation, and how your data will be used are available in the Participant Information Sheet. This project has been approved by the University of Leeds Business, Environment and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee on 19 January 2026, reference number 3833. For any questions, contact Amanda Jackson at a.m.jackson@leeds.ac.uk. 

By sharing your experience, you’ll help strengthen professional standards and build stronger partnerships between universities and communities worldwide. 

By participating, you will help shape the future of town–gown practice, support professional standards, and contribute to stronger, mutually beneficial partnerships across universities and communities worldwide.