Oxford’s new Public and Community Engagement with Research Strategy

• This blog introduces the new Public and Community Engagement with Research (PCER) Strategy
• Mat Hickman describes the strategy’s focus on further developing the University’s internal environment for engagement and improving practice
• Six key strategic objectives are outlined to guide the University's engagement work

The University’s central PCER Team, part of Innovation & Engagement within Research Services, recently launched its new Public and Community Engagement with Research (PCER) Strategy at Reuben College on 28 February. The new strategy replaces the previous Public Engagement with Research Strategic Plan, and aims to improve the internal environment for, and our practice of, public and community engagement with research.

The strategy was developed using a double diamond approach and drew on extensive consultation with researchers, academics, professional services staff, community members, and senior leaders from other universities and the wider higher education landscape. We are grateful for the time and wisdom shared by all contributors.

Why we need this strategy

Public and community engagement with research is a vital part of research in universities. It ensures that our (often publicly funded) work is visible and can be held to account, it builds trust and, most importantly, it serves to make our research higher quality, socially responsible and relevant by involving those who are most affected by it. It’s also rewarding and motivating for researchers, who enjoy the opportunity to connect their work to the wider world.

Despite a strong track record, we need to remain ambitious for public and community engagement with all our research because if research is not visible, engaged and able to articulate relevance, we risk undermining the wide and valued support our research and researchers enjoy. Involving the public and specific communities in our research from the outset also adds tremendous social and practical value, and helps us define the most impactful research agendas.

Our strategic objectives

The new strategy outlines six key objectives to guide our efforts:

1. Define engagement: We aim to develop a shared understanding of public and community engagement with research across the University, that resonates with colleagues in MSD doing patient and public involvement (and engagement), and in Humanities, co-creating research on local history. We will orient around engagement activities that are inclusive and purposeful, benefiting research, researchers and society.
2. Integrate engagement: Engagement should be an integral part of our research practice. We will support individuals undertaking public engagement activities, enhance recognition for their efforts, and align engagement with other knowledge exchange activities to ensure cohesive and impactful outcomes.
3. Connect engagement: We will increase the visibility and awareness of the University’s engagement work, both internally and externally. This includes facilitating regular gatherings for those involved in engagement activities to share expertise, celebrate efforts, and build momentum.
4. Steward engagement: Strengthening governance for engagement across the University is crucial. We will establish a transparent and joined-up governance, capture our collective engagement efforts and ensure they are effectively communicated.
5. Engage with communities: We will work closely with communities affected by our research, involving them in the research process, listening to their insights, and learning from their experiences. This approach aims to create more welcoming and inclusive engagement spaces.
6. Engage responsibly: By integrating the Responsible Knowledge Exchange, Engagement and Impact framework, we commit to high standards in our engagement practices. This includes ensuring that engagement adds value, is interdisciplinary, and fosters quality and innovation.

We will evaluate the impact of our strategy by considering three key aspects:

1. The environment for engagement – is the University a place that enables and supports public and community engagement with research?
2. The experience of engagement – is it positive to do or be involved with engagement activities at the University?
3. The effect of engagement – how does engagement affect the public and communities who were involved, the research, and researchers?

Moving forward

These strategic objectives are intended to act as guiderails for anyone doing public and community engagement within the University and help them to identify where best to spend their efforts. It will also shape the work of the central PCER Team by defining their objectives and key results.

If you would like to find out more about the PCER Team’s work or would like to collaborate with the PCER Team, you can email us on publicengagement@admin.ox.ac.uk or visit our webpage for more details.