Universities that aspire to create lasting societal impact must integrate strong internal support structures, third mission activities, and an engagement oriented culture. By fostering staff development, enabling research with real-world application, and cultivating partnerships that extend beyond academia, higher education institutions (HEIs) can align knowledge creation with social and economic outcomes. In this article, I will share how my experience in mentoring, research projects, and proactive engagement with industry and community partners has empowered academic staff and students to translate scholarship into meaningful impact, driving innovation and advancing the university’s mission for societal benefit.
Fostering Staff Development and Research Engagement Through Scholarly Activities
HEIs play a pivotal role in advancing knowledge and societal impact by actively supporting staff development and directing research toward engagement and innovation. Drawing on my experience with the Informing Science Institute (ISI), “a global community of academics shaping the future of informing science”, I have observed key practices that enable universities to cultivate research excellence and engaged academic communities.
ISI’s model exemplifies how internal support structures, such as mentoring, prompt and constructive feedback, and professional development opportunities for reviewers and editors, can be leveraged to enhance staff capabilities. HEIs can adopt similar mechanisms to systematically develop both academic and research support staff profiles, ensuring that research activities are aligned with institutional engagement goals. For example, ISI’s commitment to reviewer training and recognition through awards (e.g., Gold, Silver, and Bronze Badges; Editor/Reviewer of the Month) and progressive editorial responsibilities (e.g., promotion from reviewer to editor) demonstrates how structured staff development not only improves research quality but also motivates sustained engagement within the academic community.
By actively engaging in editorial roles across diverse journals and research areas, academic staff can remain at the forefront of emerging trends, which in turn enriches curriculum design and student mentorship. HEIs should encourage staff participation in external scholarly networks and editorial boards, providing institutional support and recognition for these activities. Drawing upon the skills and knowledge developed through my service at ISI, I have further expanded my editorial service to several other reputable journals, such as the Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, IEEE Transactions on Technology and Society, and the International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Business and Management. The insights I gain from these editorial experiences have informed my teaching and curriculum design, and have enhanced my ability to provide constructive feedback and mentorship, particularly in guiding undergraduate and postgraduate students through their capstone projects (Cuellar, 2024). This approach directly contributes to the ACEEU standards of fostering research that creates social and economic impact, while also developing staff profiles that support engagement-oriented strategies.
Bridging Research, Technology, and the Third Mission for Social Good
A core responsibility of HEIs is to extend their impact beyond teaching and research to actively benefit society and this commitment is often defined as the “third mission”. A few years ago, I conducted research related to first aid and health training in Hong Kong, and one of the key implications of this study was the need to enhance training quality by adopting innovative technologies. Responding to these findings, I had the chance to engage in the development of a Virtual Reality Simulation for First Aid Training (p. 23). This initiative not only improved teenagers’ safety awareness and practical skills but also fostered civic engagement, exemplifying how research projects can create social and economic impact by collaborating with non-profit organizations.
Further bridging research and community engagement, I integrated technology and learning design into the recent Pre-hospital Cardiac Resuscitation Exhibition. By showcasing resuscitation equipment through interactive digital displays, we provided a novel, engaging experience for visitors, strengthening our connections with both commercial and non-profit stakeholders. These experiences demonstrate how theoretical research can be transformed into practical, socially beneficial solutions. By leveraging technology and fostering partnerships with industry and community organizations, institutions can drive both research impact and third mission activities, ensuring that academic insights translate into real-world value and societal good.
Introducing Virtual Reality in CPR training at the press conference for the “Pre-hospital Cardiac Resuscitation – Past and Present” Exhibition 2023, organized by Hong Kong St. John Ambulance.
Promoting an Engagement-Oriented Culture through Industry Partnerships
Building an engagement-oriented culture is essential for universities that aspire to prepare students for today’s dynamic digital environment. As an educator in information management and social data science, I am committed to bridging the gap between theory and practice by actively integrating industry partnerships into our academic culture. Research underscores the value of university–industry collaboration in enhancing student employability and fostering innovation (Berbegal-Mirabent et al., 2020; Malik et al., 2021).
To this end, I have established and nurtured partnerships with leading technology vendors such as Cisco Networking Academy (Khanna et al., 2018), SAS Institute, Kingdee Software, Tableau, and Alteryx. By embedding these industry-standard platforms into our curriculum, students gain hands-on experience and develop practical skills that directly align with current professional demands. For example, through participation in the SAS Academic Programs for Educators, I have offered certification exam preparatory workshops, empowering students to advance their technical credentials. I am particularly proud of mentoring three students who, in just six months, progressed from their first programming certification to achieving advanced certification—an accomplishment highlighted in a news article and a testament to both their dedication and our supportive learning environment.
Looking to the Future
Looking ahead, I am committed to deepening my research, fostering impactful collaborations, and further developing my skills in alignment with ACEEU standards for academic staff profile. I will continue to integrate emerging technologies into both education and community initiatives. For example, I have been selected to join the Alteryx SparkED Faculty Advisory Committee, a global network advancing data analytics education. This engagement not only enhances our students’ career readiness but also strengthens a culture of innovation and collaboration within the university. Moreover, I will continue to liaise with diverse stakeholders to organize e-learning professional development for my staff, while actively providing coaching and mentoring to further build our collective capacity. By leveraging institutional support and external networks, I aim to inspire students, contribute to my field, and promote the transformative use of research and technology for societal benefit.
Berbegal-Mirabent, J., Gil-Doménech, D., & Ribeiro-Soriano, D. E. (2020). Fostering university-industry collaborations through university teaching. Knowledge Management Research & Practice, 18(3), 263-275. https://doi.org/10.1080/14778238.2019.1638738.
Cuellar, N. G. (2024). The benefits of being a “peer-reviewer”. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 35(3), 185-185. https://doi.org/10.1177/10436596241247667.
Khanna, A., Agarwal, A., & Maheshwari, P. (2018, February). University-industry collaboration: A new way of educating future generations of engineers in India. In 2018 Advances in Science and Engineering Technology International Conferences (ASET) (pp. 1-6). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICASET.2018.8376929.
Malik, K., Bashir, T., & Ali, T. M. (2021). University-industry collaborations in Pakistan: current challenges and future opportunities. Foresight, 23(4), 496-508. https://doi.org/10.1108/FS-12-2020-0133.
Cover Image: Three students passed basic to advanced IT programming professional examinations within six months with my training and resources provided by SAS Institution.
Images courtesy of the author