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Research Councils announce funding to embed public engagement within UK universities

15/09/2015

Research Councils UK (RCUK) is delighted to announce the successful awards for its Public Engagement with Research Catalyst Seed Fund (CSF). Building on the successes and momentum generated by the Catalyst funding and the Beacons for Public Engagement initiative, this funding will help to catalyse change by ensuring that engaging the public becomes an integral part of the research process. Specifically, the CSF will provide flexible funding directly to higher education institutions to help create a culture where excellent public engagement with research is better embedded within the institution and appropriately included within its policies, procedures and practices.

Ten universities (listed below with their Principal Investigators) will each receive £65,000 funding for public engagement activities over the next 12 months:

  • University of Birmingham: Professor Michael Whitby
  • University of Cambridge: Professor Lynn Gladden
  • University of Glasgow: Professor Jonathan Cooper
  • Imperial College London: Professor Maggie Dallman
  • King’s College London: Mr Chris Mottershead
  • University of Leeds: Professor David Hogg
  • University of Liverpool: Professor Dinah Birch
  • University of Oxford: Professor Ian Walmsley
  • University of Southampton: Professor Judith Petts
  • University of Warwick: Professor Pam Thomas

Professor John Womersley, RCUK’s Champion for Public Engagement with Research and Chief Executive of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), said: “Public engagement is an integral part of research and improves both its quality and impact. We know that researchers are more likely to participate in public engagement if they have the support of their institution. This Catalyst Seed Funding will support infrastructure and cultural change within the funded universities and help researchers to engage with schools and the wider community.”

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Further information

Contact:
Katie Clark
Tel: 01793 444387 or email: Katie Clark

Notes to editors

  1. Further information is available at: www.rcuk.ac.uk/pe/embedding/

  2. Research Councils UK (RCUK) is the strategic partnership of the UK’s seven Research Councils. Our collective ambition is to ensure the UK remains the best place in the world to do research, innovate and grow business. The Research Councils are central to delivering research and innovation for economic growth and societal impact. Together, we invest £3 billion in research each year, covering all disciplines and sectors, to meet tomorrow’s challenges today. Our investments create new knowledge through: funding research excellence; responding to society’s challenges; developing skills, leadership and infrastructure; and leading the UK’s research direction. We drive innovation through: creating environments and brokering partnerships; co-delivering research and innovation with over 2,500 businesses, 1,000 of which are SMEs; and providing intelligence for policy making. Find out more about our work at www.rcuk.ac.uk.

    The seven UK Research Councils are:


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