About Us

Established by President Armstrong in 2024, the Office of Academic and Community Partnerships (OACP) consolidates community affairs, service-learning programs, and community health offices into a central entity at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC). Its mission is to advance the medical center’s commitment to community service by fostering collaboration between CUIMC schools, departments, centers, institutes and the local community.  

OACP plays a key role in strengthening and expanding relationships, promoting inclusive engagement through community-centered programs and health outreach activities. By partnering with stakeholders and service organizations, the office leverages university resources to connect community leaders with academic partners, addressing community-identified needs and promoting research dissemination, health education, and overall well-being in Northern Manhattan and surrounding areas.  

Building on long-standing relationships fostered by our health sciences schools—the College of Dental Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, School of Nursing, and Mailman School of Public Health—the OACP leverages internal resources to ensure the medical center actively partners in addressing community-identified needs. The office advocates for advancing CUIMC’s mission in research, clinical care, and education, while also supporting faculty and staff in strengthening bi-directional engagement and community health outreach. This collaborative effort aims to enhance the health and well-being of our neighbors.