This section of the site will provide advice and guidance on how to engage with the public about your research. The various sections can be found on the left but first:

What is Public Engagement?

The funders of the Beacons for Public Engagement have provided the following definition:

Public Engagement means bringing together HE specialists and non-specialists to develop new channels of communication and mutual understanding. The 'public' includes individuals and groups who do not currently have a formal relationship with an HEI through teaching, research or knowledge transfer.

We often summarise this as "Specialists listening to, working with and learning from non-specialists" to reflect the fact that there are large bodies of expertise that exist outside of academia which can help academics to improve the quality and impact of their research.

Simply, engaging with the public as a standard feature of the way that you work can help you let people know about your research so that they can use the outcomes for their benefit. It may also give you new ideas or areas to research in the future.

As one academic said recently, "the Beacon project call involved me and my researcher actively finding out key issues for the community by meeting with them and tossing around ideas. Usually we work the other way aroung by simply responding to funding calls. Doing it the Beacon way is much more rewarding."