The Community-Based Learning Initiative recognizes that students learn in many different ways and that experiences outside of the classroom can enrich and reinforce academic learning while also contributing to the community. Community-based learning allows students to complement learning that occurs in the classroom with experiences in the community. Examples might include collaboration with community organizations to perform much-needed research and other creative methods for sharing the university's depth of knowledge with the community.

To this end, the CBLI seeks to promote meaningful partnerships between community organizations and Princeton University faculty and students. Community-based learning partnerships value:

The limited time and resources available to community organizations. The expertise of faculty members and community leaders in their respective fields. The desire of students to engage real-world problems in the community and to deepen their understanding of material learned in class. The full participation of faculty members and community leaders in planning courses or components of courses.

The Initiative seeks to identify and support faculty members interested in this new pedagogy.