Moving Forward with Public Engagement - Solutions

Paul Manners, NCCPEJulie Worrall, CUE East

Gillian Squirrell, SEARCH

What’s the problem?

This initiative aims to create a culture within UK Higher Education where public engagement is formalised and embedded as a valued and recognised activity for staff at all levels, and for students.

Funded by the UK Funding Councils, Research Councils UK and the Wellcome Trust

CUE east @ UEA Edinburgh Beltane

ManchesterNorth East

UCLWales

NCCPE

Science Engagement and Researching Change

SEARCH is a two part project focusing on science and engineering engagement activities undertaken by university staff, and the impacts of these activities on the perceptions of engagement work and the culture in universities.

MISSION Embed in strategy and promote through leadership

REWARD Recognize, reward and support staff involvement

COORDINATION Coordinate delivery to maximise efficiency, learning, impact

PUBLIC Involve the public in governance and through ongoing dialogue

STUDENTS Include and involve students

COMMUNICATION Celebrate and champion success, inside and outside

Embedding engagement: six triggers

Science and Engineering and Researching Change

Gillian Squirrell, University of Bristol

University of Bristol - www.researching-change.com/search/indexpages.htm

Science and Engineering and Researching Change

A two part project:Sizeable empirically based research project to scope engagement activities, barriers, motivations, benefits at individual and system levelsDevelopment and research programme over 15 months, 17 universities and 26 academics, real time engagement work and exploring how it might be embedded within universities

University of Bristol - www.researching-change.com/search/indexpages.htm

Headlines - The Empirical Study118 interviews scientists and engineers, 21 pvcs and operational managers, 52 universities.13 individuals not engaged. 3 universities not engaged.High volumes of engagement - stimulus policy/funding.Defining engagement - 3 categories – a continuum.Differences in institutional/subject drivers.Impacts of difficulties with definitions - individual and institutional insecurities; metrics; evaluation; persuasion of the others [Royal Society ’06 Factors ].Discrepancies - motivations/interests and actualities - differs from Wellcome’s ‘00 Role in Public Debate.

University of Bristol - www.researching-change.com/search/indexpages.htm

More headlines...

Changes in engagement practices over timeBenefits – academics, students, technicians and wider communitiesBarriers – back to the BA 2004 conference, Royal Society Reports ‘06 Factors and Science and the Public Interest – importance of rewards, support from funders, training, media fears Emergent themes led to Phase 2 research and development issues

University of Bristol - www.researching-change.com/search/indexpages.htm

Phase 2Meta questions: Engagement, Change in

Universities and the process of learning Specific questions: diverse groups, evaluation,

sustainability and two way engagement The format: 2 groups, 4 sets, 4 meetings, additional

meetings (eg communications training – Factors 06 Role of Scientists ‘00)

Concepts: Culture, Change, Agency Skills: Action and reflection; communication Delivery: Action Learning, process consultancy,

transformative learning events

University of Bristol - www.researching-change.com/search/indexpages.htm

Outcomes - IndividualsConfidence and esteem - networked and sharing experiences and practices - evidence for arguments, confidence to open conversationsStrength - experience of alternative “virtual organisation” self-revelations and common ground Impacts of action learning and conceptualisations of change, reading under the surface - personal authority, responsibility, autonomyNational project - legitimacy and use of leverage; project/site visitsMastery - reflection on engagement & role, taking action and prideLeadership roles - within organisation; international events Analytic thinking - the organisation, cultures and how they work

University of Bristol - www.researching-change.com/search/indexpages.htm

Outcomes - Institutional

Rewards - promotion, prizesRecognition - administrative support, engagement countsTraining - staff, students, researchers, ESOL and engagementHome page - institutionalising itAudits Departmental sharing of responsibilities – asking and

organisingResearch bidsChairing and rebranding committee function

University of Bristol - www.researching-change.com/search/indexpages.htm

MISSION Embed in strategy and promote through leadership

REWARD Recognize, reward and support staff involvement

COORDINATION Coordinate delivery to maximise efficiency, learning, impact

PUBLIC Involve the public in governance and through ongoing dialogue

STUDENTS Include and involve students

COMMUNICATION Celebrate and champion success, inside and outside

Embedding engagement: six triggers

Julie Worrall, Project DirectorCommunity University Engagement East (CUE East)

Funded by the UK Funding Councils, Research Councils UK and the Wellcome Trust

Reflect and build upon two questions from the Beacons session at last year’s Conference

Is baseline information being gathered and if so, how?

How would public engagement be built into promotions criteria and awards for excellence?

Share the CUE East experience, thoughts on progress so far and on what lies ahead

Funded by the UK Funding Councils, Research Councils UK and the Wellcome Trust

‘A qualitative baseline report on the perceptions of public engagement in University of East Anglia academic staff’

Lisa McDaid, Beacons Researcher, City College Norwich, December 2008

55 semi-structured interviews with academic staff

Sample 1 - targeted individuals (n=24)– Heads of Schools – Associate Deans for Enterprise & Engagement – Associate Deans for Research– Pro Vice Chancellor

Sample 2 - randomly selected academic staff by faculty & grade (n=31)– Four faculties – Science, Social Science, Health, Arts & Humanities – Four grade levels – Snr Academic, Academic, Snr Researcher,

Researcher

Funded by the UK Funding Councils, Research Councils UK and the Wellcome Trust

2008 Conference: Measuring the culture change in universities

Is baseline information being gathered and if so, how?

The importance of public engagement“It’s difficult to say because it almost comes into a different category because it is not part of my job description or one of the measures against which I think I will ever be measured…it’s more like deciding do I want to go for a run today? It’s something I enjoy and it’s important but I don’t really see it as a part of my paid job” (Senior Researcher)

Recording public engagement“Nobody knows whether it counts towards their work time, so it dissuades people from doing it or telling people they are doing it because they might be called upon to fill up those hours somewhere else” (Researcher)

Funded by the UK Funding Councils, Research Councils UK and the Wellcome Trust

2008 Conference: Measuring the culture change in universities

Is baseline information being gathered and if so, how?

CUE EAST QUALITATIVE SURVEY KEY FINDINGS

CUE EAST AND ALIGNED UEA STRATEGIES

84% involved in ‘self defined’ PE, but lack of a shared understanding.

CUE East devised ‘working’ typology, shaping new promotions criteria at UEA.

PE not as important as research and teaching and for some, admin.

New promotions criteria links PE to teaching & research.

Barriers include time, career progression, peer approval, research-led culture, funding & challenges of engaging people.

CUE East developing infrastructure dedicated to building capacity at all

levels.

Lack of strategic support: “Support is personal rather than organisational”

New UEA Corporate Plan with ‘Enterprise & Engagement’ a corporate

priority.Very little recording happening & no institutional mechanism in place

CUE East devised ‘Engagement Tracker’

PE was not rewarded in any formal way. New promotions criteria and individual awards.

Evaluation of PE was minimal. Most had not even considered evaluating their activities.

Beacon’s Researcher advising individuals & projects on evaluation

techniques & methodologies.

An independent ‘Beacons Researcher’ employed by City College Norwich,embedded in the programme and providing continuous feedback on aspects ofthe programme delivery.

Key evaluation research activities in Year 1 have included:

• Qualitative baseline research on perceptions of public engagement• CUE East team interviews including Steering Group Chair and NCCPE interview• Individual event evaluations• Steering Group feedback• Partner Perceptions Survey• Document analysis – e.g. Project Director reports to Steering Group, Funders,

Beacons Coordination Group & UEA’s Enterprise & Engagement Executive, Operations Manager Monthly Reports, consultation responses e.g. DIUS Science & Society and email correspondence

• Observation at meetings e.g. team, project & steering group meetings• Observation at training & analysis of evaluation feedback

Annual Evaluation Review published April 2009Funded by the UK Funding Councils, Research Councils UK and the Wellcome Trust

2008 Conference: Measuring the culture change in universities

CUE East evaluation approach

Funded by the UK Funding Councils, Research Councils UK and the Wellcome Trust

2008 Conference: How would public engagement be built into promotions criteria and awards for excellence?

1 WAYTALKS &DISSEMINATION

2 WAYLISTENING & DIALOGUE

3 WAYPOLICY MAKING

THE PRACTITIONER

Providing evidence of contributions to Public

Engagement

Informing NotifyingAdvising

InformingListeningLearningExchangePartnershipPersonal Change

InformingConsultingEvaluating Reporting

THE PRACTITIONER communicating knowledge e.g.

Public lecturesMedia work – press, TV

& RadioWriting for the non-

specialist

THE PRACTITIONER AND THE PUBLIC in dialogue e.g.

Public seminars, debates & forums / Exhibitions & interactive events /

Mobile laboratories / Volunteering / Drama outreach / Museum education

/ Translation workshops / CRed / TSN / SCVA

THE PRACTITIONER (THE EXPERT), THE PUBLIC AND POLICY-MAKERS shaping

government policy e.g.

SciencewiseScience Horizons

Expert panel /Committee member

LEVELS OF PARTICIPATION & MEASURES

EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE, EVALUATION AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Quantitativee.g. attendees

Quantitative e.g. visitorsQualitative e.g. evidence of impact via evaluation & feedback / securing funding for engagement projects & community based research / curriculum development

Quantitative e.g. committees attended

Qualitative e.g. evidence of impact via evaluation & feedback /impact on changes to government policy / transformation of research agendas on public policy / institutional change / securing funding

A MODEL TO AID DISCUSSION ON ASSESSING THE PRACTITIONER’S IMPACT & PERFORMANCE

KT Executive Committee16th April 2008J Worrall, CUE East

Step one

CUE East Foundation for UEA Promotions Criteria on EngagementTHE ENGAGED PRACTITIONER

Communicating knowledge and enriching cultural lifeOne-way e.g. public lectures, media work, writing for the non-specialist, exhibitions, show

casing academic know-how

Providing a service and being in dialogue with the public and communitiesTwo-way e.g. volunteering, user involvement in research, forums, focus groups, pro-bono

schemes, drama outreach, museum education

Being in dialogue with the public and policy-makersThree-way engagement e.g. governmental committees involving the academic as the ‘expert’

e.g. expert panel, government led public consultation, task forces

Funded by the UK Funding Councils, Research Councils UK and the Wellcome Trust

2008 Conference: How would public engagement be built into promotions criteria and awards for excellence? Step two

UEA Green Book 2009Promotions Committee Rules and Procedures

ENTERPRISE AND ENGAGEMENT ANDRELATED ADMINISTRATION

Examples of engagement activities and of evidence that will help to demonstrate and verify impact on the community,

on the applicant and on the institution in relation to teaching and research

CUE East Individual Awards

Funded by the UK Funding Councils, Research Councils UK and the Wellcome Trust

2008 Conference: How would public engagement be built into promotions criteria and awards for excellence? Step three

Funded by the UK Funding Councils, Research Councils UK and the Wellcome Trust

The CUE East experience

Thoughts on progress so far and on what lies ahead

MISSION

REWARD

COORDINATION

PUBLIC

Workshops

MISSION

REWARD

COORDINATION

PUBLIC

Workshops

1. Working with Resistance in Organisational Change

MISSION

REWARD

COORDINATION

PUBLIC

Workshops

1. Working with Resistance in Organisational Change

2. Involving Researchers - skills training, development and practical opportunities

MISSION

REWARD

COORDINATION

PUBLIC

Workshops

1. Working with Resistance in Organisational Change

3. Action Learning in practice

2. Involving Researchers - skills training, development and practical opportunities

MISSION

REWARD

COORDINATION

PUBLIC

Workshops

1. Working with Resistance in Organisational Change

3. Action Learning in practice

2. Involving Researchers - skills training, development and practical opportunities

4. Evaluation and impact assessment

MISSION

REWARD

COORDINATION

PUBLIC

Workshops

1. Working with Resistance in Organisational Change

3. Action Learning in practice

2. Involving Researchers - skills training, development and practical opportunities

4. Evaluation and impact assessment

5. Engaging objects: the British Museum and its work with new audiences

What next?

• Written up today and shared with the conference via powerpoint and posters

• Uploaded to NCCPE website next week• ‘Triggers’ remain a core focus for us – please

stay in touch• Feedback at the end of the session

www.publicengagement.ac.uk

Feedback

• What have you learned from this session?

• What (if anything) will you be following up on?

• What (if anything) would you like us to follow up on?