Research and creative activities by university faculty, staff and students can be connected with the community in a variety of ways.

These activities attempt to address problems experienced within society in partnership or collaboratively with nonprofit, governmental, foundation, community groups or individuals, or private entities. These include:
  • Translational Research: involves the conversion of knowledge gained through research into a form where it can be used by practitioners and community members to have immediate positive impact.
  • Community-based Research: the community serves as the source of information that drives research on an issue impacting a particular community.
  • Collaborative Research: Research jointly designed, conducted, and reported by the community and members of a higher education institution.
  • Action Research: University-driven research to propose action on a community issue.
  • Participatory Action Research: Similar to action research but is community driven.
  • Advocacy Research: Similar to participatory action research but with an intended goal of influencing policy makers through research and on behalf of a community.
  • Empowerment Research: Advocacy research done in collaboration with the community with a goal of empowering a certain population to increase its effectiveness in influencing policy decisions.
  • Evaluation or Evaluative Research: A systematic approach to assess the efficacy or impact of a program, policy, or phenomenon.