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06/10/2017
Research Councils UK (RCUK) is pleased to announce the launch of the Strategic Support to Expedite Embedding Public Engagement with Research (SEE-PER) grants. This funding invited two types of approach from institutions to help enrich and embed cultures within Higher Education Institutions, firstly where excellent public engagement with research (PER) is supported, valued and rewarded and secondly where PER is integrated within institutional policies, practices and procedures. Funding from RCUK is provided for six months, with match funding from the institution extending the activity period for three to six months beyond that.
Projects to enhance and embed institutional support for PER
Building on the success of and learning from the RCUK PER Catalyst Seed Fund, Catalyst funding and the Beacons for Public Engagement (co-funded with the Wellcome Trust and UK funding councils), seven institutions (listed below with their Principal Investigators) have been awarded up to £60,000 to create, enrich and embed cultures within HEIs where excellent public engagement with research (PER) is more effectively and strategically supported:
Projects addressing a specific PER support challenge
The funding also seeks to expand the existing knowledge about ‘what works’ in supporting public engagement with research by addressing specific challenge areas identified in the recent Factors Affecting Public Engagement by Researchers and State of Play reports. Five institutions (listed below with their identified challenge and Principal Investigator) have been awarded up to £60,000 to synthesise knowledge and pilot activity in their chosen challenge area:
The National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement will provide a coordination and learning capture and dissemination function for the SEE-PER portfolio of projects
Dr Jenni Chambers, RCUK’s Head of Public Engagement with Research, said: “We are delighted to be able to support 12 high quality projects that will both deepen our understanding of how to effectively support excellent public engagement with research (PER) within universities and research institutes and to begin to tackle some of the remaining embedding challenges identified in the Factors Affecting Public Engagement by Researchers and State of Play research. We look forward to working with the funded institutions and the NCCPE to ensure learning from SEE-PER programme is effectively shared with the sector.”
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Contact:
Claire Lane
Communications Manager, Research Councils UK
claire.lane@rcuk.ac.uk
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: