A new £8 million initiative has been launched today which aims to promote excellence in public engagement and effect a culture change in UK universities towards engaging with the public.
The UK higher education funding councils and Research Councils UK (RCUK), in association with the Wellcome Trust, are inviting higher education institutions (HEIs) to bid to become Beacons for Public Engagement. The funders have launched the initiative in order to co-ordinate efforts to recognise, reward and build capacity in public engagement across all subject areas.
Public engagement encompasses all university and research institute activities that establish and maintain a dialogue with the wider public. The funding will also be used to establish a UK-wide co-ordinating centre to work across the initiative and promote best practice.
The Beacons will be at the forefront of efforts to change the culture in universities, assisting staff and students to engage with the public and removing any barriers. A recent report investigating attitudes towards public engagement by researchers found that in research-intensive universities the need to publish and attract research funding can make it difficult for staff to take time to have a meaningful dialogue with the public. Engaging with the public can bring real benefits to universities and research institutes and the new Beacons initiative aims to tackle these issues by valuing and recognising public engagement at all levels.
Professor Ian Diamond, chair of the RCUK Executive Group, said: "RCUK and the funding councils are committed to engaging with the public at all levels of our work. Public engagement has benefits for everyone involved. People get to see the opportunities open to them in higher education and research and are empowered to take part in democratic decisions about issues affecting their lives."
"For funders, engaging with the public means we can convey the importance of our work to the health, wealth and culture of the nation and help to encourage more people to become involved in debates about research and providing a wide range of views to inform our decision-making. We realise that it is not always easy for staff to leave the lab or lecture theatre to talk with the public. For that reason the Beacons funded by this initiative will be expected to tackle the question of recognition and support for staff wanting to get involved in public engagement."
Professor David Eastwood, Chief Executive of HEFCE, said: "Greater support and encouragement for public engagement activities was one of the issues that received significant backing when we consulted on the HEFCE strategic plan for the next five years. We believe that this co-ordinated approach by the main funders will send out a strong signal that maintaining an effective dialogue with the wider public is important in terms of maintaining confidence in higher education and extending its civic and civilising influence. It is also essential that teaching and research remain in tune with the needs of society by close contact with the wider public."
Dr Mark Walport, Director of the Wellcome Trust, commented: "Developments in research inevitably trigger questions for society and it's essential that research is examined and debated in a responsible and engaging manner. This initiative will enable scientists and the research community to tap into the best ways of highlighting their work to new audiences, contributing to a better understanding of science and its relevance to everyday life."
The Beacons for Public Engagement will be expected to take on wide-ranging objectives. These will include linking with partner organisations involved in public engagement such as museums or science centres, and encouraging as many staff and students as possible to get involved in order to build public engagement capacity. They will work to ensure public engagement is recognised at a strategic level in HEIs and to develop sustainable networks to capture existing best practice and see that it is widely shared. The Beacons will be able to advise any academic or researcher in a university or Research Council Institute on public engagement activities.
The UK-wide co-ordinating centre will build networks across the other Beacons and provide a single point of contact as well as an overview of their activities.
Up to £8 million of funding is being made available by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Research Councils, with support from the Wellcome Trust. The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) will contribute to any Beacons established in Scotland and Wales respectively. The funding will support Beacons for an initial pilot period of four years.
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Contact
Research Councils UK
Matt Goode
Tel: 01793 413299
Mobile: 07766 423 372
RCUK Science in Society Unit
Gillian Rendle
Tel: 01793 442817
HEFCE
Roger Grinyer
Tel: 0117 931 7307
HEFCW
Emma Raczka
Tel: 029 2068 2225
SFC
Judith Henderson
Tel: 0131 313 6631
Wellcome Trust
Katrina Nevin-Ridley
Tel: 020 7611 8540
Notes to Editors
Full information about this initiative and guidance for HEIs on eligibility and how to apply for funding are published in HEFCE 2006/49, available on the web at: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2006/06_49/
The recent report on attitude to public engagement is:
'Survey of factors affecting science communication by scientists and engineers', Royal Society, RCUK and Wellcome Trust, June 2006, available at http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/page.asp?id=3180
About HEFCE
The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is responsible for distributing around £6.7 billion a year in public funds to universities and colleges, to support high quality education, research and related activities. HEFCE also has a leading role in developing and implementing policy for higher education, based on research and consultation.
About Research Councils UK
The eight Research Councils are independent non-departmental public bodies, funded by the Science Budget through the Office of Science and Innovation. They are incorporated by Royal Charter and together manage a research budget of over £2.5 billion a year.
Research Councils UK (RCUK) is the partnership between the UK's eight Research Councils. Through RCUK, the Research Councils work together to champion the research, training and innovation they support.
RCUK was created to increase the collective visibility, leadership and policy influence of the Research Councils; to stimulate multi-disciplinary research that encourages collaboration; to provide a single focus for collective dialogue with stakeholders and to encourage greater harmonisation of internal operations.
The Research Councils UK Science in Society Unit provides a gateway to the science in society activities of the Research Councils, manages cross-council programmes and complements the individual work within each Council.
The eight UK Research Councils are:
- Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
- Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
- Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC)
- Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC)
- Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
- Medical Research Council (MRC)
- Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
- Particle Physics & Astronomy Research Council (PPARC)
About HEFCW
The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) is an Assembly Sponsored Public Body responsible for funding higher education in Wales.
HEFCW administers funds made available by the Welsh Assembly Government in support of the provision of education, the undertaking of research by higher education institutions, and the provision of prescribed courses of higher education at further education institutions. HEFCW is also responsible for accrediting providers of initial teaching training for school teachers and commissioning research to improve the standards of teachers and teacher training.
In addition to its funding responsibilities, the HEFCW provides advice to the Welsh Assembly Government on the funding needs, aspirations and concerns of the higher education sector in Wales.
About SFC
The Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council (SFC) is a non-departmental public body responsible to – but operating at arm's length from – the Scottish Executive. It distributes more than £1.5 billion of public funds annually to colleges and universities on behalf of the Scottish Executive for teaching and learning, research and other activities in Scotland's colleges and universities. Established in 2005, the Council provides a strategic overview of tertiary education in Scotland to help secure a more coherent system of high-quality learning, teaching and research.
About the Wellcome Trust
The Wellcome Trust is the most diverse biomedical research charity in the world, spending about £450 million every year both in the UK and internationally to support and promote research that will improve the health of humans and animals. The Trust was established under the will of Sir Henry Wellcome, and is funded from a private endowment, which is managed with long-term stability and growth in mind.