Everything old is new again: The importance of engagement to University-based Adult Education in Canada

Abstract

What place does engagement hold in the history and future of university-based adult education in Canada? In this paper, Dr. Budd L. Hall traces the historical roots and contemporary revival of engagement within Canadian adult and continuing education. Beginning with the British extramural tradition and early extension movements at institutions such as the University of Alberta, St. Francis Xavier, McGill and Toronto, he situates adult education as deeply embedded in community life and democratic practice. He reflects on the professionalisation of adult education in the 1960s and 70s, alongside the growth of academic research and national scholarly networks. Hall then examines the emergence of community–university engagement as a renewed and institutionalised force, highlighting initiatives such as the SSHRC Community University Research Alliance, Service aux Collectivités in Québec, and newer community-based research structures across Canadian universities. Drawing on historical analysis, institutional developments and diverse scholarship, he argues that engagement is not a new add-on but a return to foundational commitments. The paper encourages adult educators to reclaim and strengthen their role within this growing movement toward democratic, community-engaged higher education.