Public engagement timeline

Keydocuments

SciencemediacentreTheCentreisnowhousedintheWellcomeCollection,andbelievesthatscientistscanhaveahugeimpactonthewaythemediacoverscientificissues,byengagingmorequicklyandmoreeffectivelywiththestoriesthatareinfluencingpublicdebateandattitudestoscience.TheSMC’sphilosophyis:“ThemediawillDOsciencebetterwhenscientistsDOthemediabetter.”OURMISSIONToprovide,forthebenefitofthepublicandpolicymakers,accurateandevidence-basedinformationaboutscienceandengineeringthroughthemedia,particularlyoncontroversialandheadlinenewsstorieswhenmostconfusionandmisinformationoccurs.

SciencewiseTheGovernment'sApproachtoPublicDialogueonScienceandTechnology-theneedforpublicdialogueonscienceandtechnologyThegovernmentbelievesthatiftheUKistotakebetteradvantageoftheopportunitiesforcreatingwealthandimprovingqualityoflifeofferedbyscientificdiscoveryandtechnologicaldevelopment,itiscrucialthatwedevelopnewapproachestobringfunders,scientistsandthepublictogetherinmoreequalandconstructivedialoguetoexploreemergingissuesandwiderpossibilities.TheSciencewiseprogramme,whichismanagedandfundedbytheDepartmentforBusiness,Energy&IndustrialStrategy,providesassistancetopolicymakerstocarryoutpublicdialogue,atwo-wayconversationwithmembersofthepublic,toinformtheirdecision-makingonscienceandtechnologyissues

Society’srelationshipwithscienceisinacriticalphase…PublicconfidenceinscientificadvicetoGovernmenthasbeenrockedbyBSE;andmanypeopleareuneasyabouttherapidadvanceofareassuchasbiotechnologyandIT….ThecrisisofconfidenceisofgreatimportancetoBritishsocietyandtoBritishscience

•  Sixty-fourpercentsaidtheneedtospendmoretimeonresearchwasstoppingthemgettingmoreengaged(thetopresponse);

•  29%saidthattimetakenawayfromresearchwasthemaindrawbackforengagingwiththepublic;

•  20%agreedthatscientistswhoengagearelesswellregardedbyotherscientists;

•  3%citedpeerpressureasabarrier.

2000https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199900/ldselect/ldsctech/

38/3801.htm

2006https://royalsociety.org/topics-policy/publications/2006/science-

communication/

ThisinitiativeaimstocreateaculturewithinUKHigherEducationwherepublicengagementisformalisedandembeddedasavaluedandrecognisedactivityforstaffatalllevels,andforstudents.

FundedbytheUKFundingCouncils,ResearchCouncilsUKandtheWellcomeTrust

Est.2008https://www.publicengagement.ac.uk/work-with-us/completed-projects/beacons

http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/innovation/impacts/

"No matter how complicated the research, or how brilliant the researcher, patients and the public always offer unique, invaluable insights. Their advice when designing, implementing and evaluating research invariably makes studies more effective, more credible and often more cost efficient as well“ Professor Dame Sally Davies Chief Medical Officer

2009http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/pe/Concordat/

2009http://www.invo.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/

Involve_Exploring_Impactfinal28.10.09.pdf

Thesyntheticbiologypublicdialogueinvolvedmembersofthepublicindiscussionswithspecialistsonthescience,governance,applicationandcontrolofthisemergingareaofscienceandtechnology.Findingsfromthedialogueshowedtherewasconditionalsupportforsyntheticbiology:whiletherewasgreatenthusiasmforthepossibilitiesofthescience;therewerealsofearsaboutcontrol;whobenefits;healthorenvironmentalimpacts;misuse;andhowtogovernthescienceunderuncertainty.

TheResearcherDevelopmentFramework

2010http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/engagement/dialogue/activities/synthetic-biology/

2011https://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers-professional-development/about-the-vitae-

researcher-development-framework

82%agreescienceissuchabigpartofourlivesthatweshouldalltakeaninterest43%feelinformedaboutscienceandresearch

ForthepurposesoftheREF,researchisdefinedasaprocessofinvestigationleadingtonewinsights,effectivelyshared.

Impactisdefinedasaneffecton,changeorbenefittotheeconomy,society,culture,publicpolicyorservices,health,theenvironmentorqualityoflife,beyondacademia.Therearemanywaysinwhichresearchmayhaveunderpinnedimpact….forexample,impactsonpublicawareness,attitudes,understandingorbehaviourthatarosefromengagingthepublicwithresearch

2011https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-attitudes-to-

science-2011-main-report

2012www.ref.ac.uk

Universityresearchinthehumanitiesisfundedpartlybythepublic,andbystudents.Soit’sappropriatethatasmuchofourresearchaspossibleshouldbesharedwiththatpublic.Wearealloftenaskedtoprioritisethoseendeavoursthatdemonstrateinstrumentalorutilitarianvalue,thepresumptionbeingthatwhatmakesagivenresearchdisciplinevaluabletosocietyisitsabilitytogenerateincome(theartsandcultureindustriesareworth£7.7billiongrosstooureconomy).Butthehumanitiescan,andshould,bemakingotherargumentsfortheirusefulness.Theyarealsoessentialinourstruggletoresolvesomeofourmostentrenchedproblems:globalchallengesliketherefugeecrisis,radicalisation,oradaptingtoclimatechange

ThefollowingguidelinesandprinciplesshouldbeadoptedtopromoteasuccessfulUKresearchendeavour:•  Researchproducesknowledgethat

enhancesourcultureandcivilisationandcontributestothepublicgood.

•  Assuch,researchshouldbeattheheartofGovernmentwithaneffectivedialogueandunderstandingbetweenresearchers,politiciansandthepublic.

•  Theresearchendeavourhastobepermeableandfluid,allowingthereadytransferofideas,skillsandpeopleinalldirectionsbetweensectors,researchdisciplinesanditspotentialbeneficiaries.

•  Societyanditselectedrepresentativesshouldbeengagedinthehighlevelquestionsabouttheoveralldirectionofscienceandresearch

Est.2014https://beinghumanfestival.org/

2014https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nurse-review-of-

research-councils-recommendations

IncallingforabroadeninganddeepeningofthedefinitionofimpactwearerecognisingthatinREF2014therewasroomforawidervarietyofimpactsthanwerecapturedinthecasestudies.Wearerecommendingthatthispotentialbreadthanddepthshouldbeemphasisedandthatweshouldgoevenfurther.Inparticular:werecommendthatimpactsonpublicengagementandunderstandingareemphasisedandthatimpactsonculturallifebespecificallyincluded.

Thepublicengagementagendaisnowmorebroadthaniteverhasbeenatanypointinitshistory.Ithasbecomeincreasinglyexpansive,encompassingawiderangeofdisciplinarybasedpractices,andunderpinnedbyavarietyofpolicydriversrangingfrompublictrustinscience,accountabilityandrelevanceofresearch,andpublicaccesstoknowledge,withanincreasingfocusontwo-wayexchange.Inamongstthisvariety,itisevidentthatclearprogresshasbeenmadeinembeddingPEacrossresearchandtheHEsector.PEisnowmorefrequentlycitedinInstitutionalmissionstatements,ininternalandexternalcommunications,andresearchersarereportingthatinstitutionalenvironmentsaregenerallymoresupportive.Thereisnowmorefundingavailable,throughavarietyofmechanismsandthedisciplinarydifferencesaregeneratingadiversityofapproachesandmethods.

2016https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/research-excellence-framework-

review

2016https://www.publicengagement.ac.uk/sites/default/files/publication/

state_of_play_final.pdf

Despitethestronginterestinscienceinmanyquarters,thereisacollectiveneedtodomoretotakesciencetothosewhoarenotcurrentlyengaged.Thereisawiderangeofinitiativesbyorganisationstoincreasepublicawarenessofandengagementinscience.Theyallplayavitalpartinfurtherbuildingour‘sciencecapital’.However,furthereffortsareneededtochangethelong-standingculturalbiasesthatpervadescience.TheGovernmenthasaresponsibilityforfosteringandfacilitatingscienceengagementinitspolicy-making.ItshouldcontinuetomaintainandstrengthennationalprogrammessuchasSciencewiseandtheNationalCoordinatingCentreforPublicEngagement.Theirprogrammesshouldberoutinelyusedacrossallgovernmentdepartments,sothatpublicopinionisfullycapturedindevelopinggovernmentpolicywherescienceisinvolved.

RecommendationsInourviewtheResearchCouncilshavealreadymadegoodprogressincreatingtheframeworkstodeliverastepchangeineconomicimpact.TherearearangeofpoliciesnowinplacetodeliverastepchangeintheeconomicimpactoftheCouncils,butthepotentialofthesepoliciesneedstoberealised.ThelevelofemphasisonknowledgetransfershouldcontinuetoincreaseandshouldbereflectedclearlyinResearchCouncils'leadershipoftheresearchbase,focusedonthreekeyissues:•theirleadershipoftheknowledgetransferagenda;•theirroleininfluencingknowledgetransferbehaviourofuniversitiesandResearchCouncilInstitutes;•increasingtheirengagementwithuserorganisations.

THEWARRYREPORT

2016-17https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmsctech/

162/162.pdf

2006https://www.cass.city.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/73671/

Warry20report.pdf

TheCommissionwilllookathow,concretely,universitiescanservetheirplaceaswellasplayaglobalrole.Todothis,theCommissionwantstounderstandhowcivicuniversitiesoperatetoday,howtheyoperatedinthepast,andhowtheyshouldoperateinthefuture.Wearelookingatevidencefromawiderangeofsourcesincludingpublicopinion;expertwitnessesandwrittenevidence;andhistoricalandcurrentresearch

TheUKRIvisionisofasocietyinwhichresearchiscreated,used,challenged,valued,andsharedbyall.Weaimtoencourage,support,andvaluetheleadershipofhigh-qualityengagementbetweentheresearchcommunityandwidersociety.OverthecomingmonthswewillbeworkingcloselywithinternalandexternalstakeholderstodeveloparefreshedstrategyforUKResearchandInnovationpublicengagementandassociatedprogrammes.

2018http://upp-foundation.org/civic-university-commission/

2018https://www.ukri.org/about-us/strategic-prospectus/

“Creatingtherightinstitutionstobringtogethersectorsandplaces–wewillconsiderthebeststructurestosupportpeople,industriesandplaces.Insomeplacesandsectorstheremaybemissinginstitutionswhichwecouldcreate,orexistingoneswecouldstrengthen,betheylocalcivicoreducationalinstitutions,tradeassociationsorfinancialnetworks”.

2017https://www.ukri.org/innovation/industrial-strategy-challenge-fund/

2016https://wellcome.ac.uk/news/what-are-barriers-uk-researchers-engaging-

public

Torealisethepotentialofschool-universitypartnerships,weneedtoseeachangeinhowschoolsanduniversitiesapproachthistypeofworking,investingtimeandresourceintolongtermpartnershipsthathavemutualbenefitattheirheart.IthasbeenhearteningtoseetheteamsinvolvedintheSUPIprojectbegintoaddressthischallenge.

Oneexternalfactorwasrepeatedlyidentifiedasmakingorbreakingtheireffortstoembedchange:namelythewiderfundingregimeforresearch,inparticularhowtheresearchcouncilsimplementtheassessmentofPathwaystoImpact[]ThelackofconsistencywithwhichthesestatementsarethenassessedandtheveryvariablefateofpublicengagementwithinthemoftenunderminedthevalueandapproachtopublicengagementthattheCatalystssoughttosupport.

2013http://www.publicengagement.ac.uk/nccpe-projects-and-services/completed-

projects/school-university-partnerships-initiative`

2016http://www.publicengagement.ac.uk/sites/default/files/publication/

state_of_play_final.pdf

THECHARTERFORUKSCIENCEANDSOCIETY

2013https://scienceandsociety.blog.gov.uk/2014/03/11/hello-world/