You may have seen that RCUK have called for case studies to celebrate success and highlight examples of best practice in public engagement and engendering culture change, under the Concordat for Engaging the Public with Research.

If you are looking to submit a case study, you may wish to use the case study template, which will help you to provide a clear narrative and focus on outcomes and evidence. The template is based on the successful Manchester Beacon approach to presenting case studies and evidence of impact.

Download the RCUK PE Concordat Case Study Template (doc)

You may also wish to send your case study to Suzanne Spicer, Social Responsibility Manager, who can help ensure the University presents a coherent response to RCUK. If you wish to do this, please send to Suzanne.Spicer@manchester.ac.uk by Friday – 9 August (so that this can be turned around in time for the RCUK deadline).

The full call for case studies from RCUK is detailed below:

In December 2013, it will be three years since the launch of the Concordat for Engaging the Public with Research. For this anniversary, RCUK, on behalf of the signatories, will be producing a publication to raise awareness of the Concordat and to celebrate success and highlight examples of best practice in public engagement and engendering culture change. The publication will outline the Concordat principles which will be supported with case studies of best practiceand we would welcome contributions of case studies for the publication.

Case studies – what to submit:
We would like to include examples highlighting the benefits of public engagement and how institutions are meeting the principles within the Concordat to support culture change. Please highlight evidence and details of outcomes to support your examples in approximately 500 words or less. Inclusion of an image to support your story would be appreciated.

Case studies which illustrate the benefits and impact of public engagement to institutions, researchers and their research could include: skills development, career enhancement, enhancing research quality and its impact, new research perspectives, higher profile for researchers and institution, influence and networking opportunities, forming new collaborations and partnerships, enjoyment and personal reward, additional funding, increasing awareness of the value of research to UK society, increasing student recruitment, inspiring the next generation of researchers. You may find RCUK’s What’s in it for me? useful for further guidance.

Some examples for case studies that illustrate the principles of the Concordat are provided below, but please refer to the Concordat for the full breadth of aims under the principles.

1. UK research organisations have a strategic commitment to public engagement: This might include: A definition of public engagement which is shared and used across the organisation, how organisations have embedded public engagement within their missions, key strategies and organisation plans and its effective communication, creation of senior public engagement champions, etc.

2. Researchers are recognised and valued for their involvement with public engagement activities:  This might include: The benefits to researchers are appropriately recognised and promoted, public engagement is recognised in staff policies and processes, briefing and support is given to those responsible for implementing these processes, success in public engagement is celebrated and communicated, etc.

3. Researchers are enabled to participate in public engagement activities through appropriate, training support and opportunities: This might include: Recognition that attributes required for public engagement are skills, behaviours and qualities which researchers should be aspiring towards in their professional development, provision of training and development opportunities, pro-active encouragement for researchers to develop their engagement practice at all levels, facilitation of opportunities for public engagement, provision of practical support, coordination of public engagement across the organisation to enable the sharing of best practice, etc.

4. The signatories and supporters of the Concordat will undertake regular reviews of their and the wider research sector’s progress in fostering public engagement across the UK: This might include: Highlights of the work that the funders are doing to embed the Concordat within their organisations. e.g. monitoring and evaluating public engagement, regular reviews of progress against the Concordat principles, working with other funders to develop and share good practice in public engagement, adding them to grant terms and conditions, etc.

Please note that your example does not need to tick all of the criteria above. We would like to hear stories if they are focused on just one of the principles.

Please can you submit your case studies to Claudine Anderson (claudine.anderson@rcuk.ac.uk) no later than Friday 16 August 2013. Please can you include your contact details on the email as if we use your story, we will contact you to check that you are happy with the wording before publication.

If you have any questions, please contact Claudine Anderson, Policy Manager, Public Engagement with Research, Research Councils UK (RCUK) for further details – Tel no. 01793 442818 or Email: claudine.anderson@rcuk.ac.uk

John Womersley, Chief Executive of STFC and CEO Champion for Public Engagement with Research

Concordat for Engaging the Public with Research – aims to create a greater focus on and help embed public engagement with research across all disciplines in the higher education and research sectors. The Concordat outlines the expectations and responsibilities of research funders in the UK. Find out more at www.rcuk.ac.uk/per/Pages/Concordat.aspx

National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement – recognising, rewarding and building capacity for public engagement. Getting started in public engagement or wanting more support? Find out about best practice and opportunities for training and funding at www.publicengagement.ac.uk