RCUK Concordat

A clear summary of the RCUK Concordat for Engaging the Public with Research, written by Chloe Sheppard (RCUK)

The new 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. Signed by Research Councils UK, the UK Funding Councils, Royal Society, Royal Academy of Engineering and British Academy , the concordat provides a single statement of expectations and responsibilities of research funders in the UK.

Supporters of the Concordat include Universities UK, The 1994 Group, The Russell Group, Wellcome Trust, Association of Medical Research Charities, Institute of Physics, Royal Society of Chemistry, Society of Biology and Academy of Social Sciences.

As research funders, we recognise the benefits of public engagement for research and researchers, as well as society more broadly. We launched the Concordat to build on and strengthen the existing good quality public engagement activity by providing a mandate for universities and research institutes to better value, recognise and support public engagement.

The Concordat consists of a set of principles for the future support of public engagement within research organisations (including universities and research institutes) and, under each principle, an explanation of how it may best be embedded into institutional practices, building on the experiences of universities and research organisations across the UK (such as the Beacons for Public Engagement).

The importance of implementation is recognised by its inclusion within the Principles themselves.

The four principles are:
1) UK research organisations have a strategic commitment to public engagement.
2) Researchers are recognised and valued for their involvement with public engagement activities.
3) Researchers are enabled to participate in public engagement activities through appropriate training, support and opportunities.
4) The signatories and supporters will undertake regular reviews of their and the wider research sector's progress in fostering public engagement across the UK.

Our implementation plan includes working with the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement and other partners to engage researchers, research managers, support staff and senior managers over the coming year via conferences, workshops and meetings to champion public engagement in the HE sector in the UK and support those within universities and research institutions to achieve the principles of the Concordat.

We have also developed a series of briefings for researchers, research managers, and supporters of researchers and senior Managers. These are on our web page (hosted at http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/per/Pages/Concordat.aspx).

A Concordat steering group (with appropriate representation of the funders and sector bodies) is taking strategic oversight of the implementation and will review progress.
However, we do not wish to provide additional burden to universities and research institutes through additional reporting.

The Concordat therefore states (under Principle 4) that research organisations should themselves monitor and evaluate the efficacy of the public engagement they support in addressing their strategic aims and the extent to which they are meeting the expectations outlined in this Concordat. This Concordat provides a common framework for regular reviews of progress across the sector by the Funders, through existing reporting structures.

We also expect research organisations to work together to develop and share good practice in public engagement and in the implementation of the Concordat.

Finally, Alongside the Concordat, the National Coordinating Centre has produced a Manifesto for Public Engagement. By signing up to the manifesto, institutions can declare their strategic commitment to public engagement, and access additional support and guidance from the NCCPE. For further information please visit www.publicengagement.ac.uk
The NCCPE's website also hosts a wealth of additional resources to support managers and research staff to develop their public engagement activities and institutional strategies.

More on the Concordat including a full list of signatories and supporters can be found at http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/per/Pages/Concordat.aspx

Chloe Sheppard
Senior Policy Manager
Public Engagement with Research
RCUK Strategy Unit