What is Public Engagement?

Public engagement describes the many ways in which research can be communicated to the local community and general public. This includes informal discussions, writing for magazines, journals and blogs, creating podcasts, public demonstrations, public lectures and working with schools. Communicating research to the public has a huge impact and benefits many people including funders, researchers, the public and the Higher Education Institution. Public engagement increases the community’s understanding and participation of local research, enhances school and adult teaching lessons, clubs and increases aspirations of school pupils to go on to higher education. It also raises the profile and impact of local research and develops core skills in the researcher.

The National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement have used the following definition: