RRI Tools

Several UK institutions, councils, departments, and academies

The Concordat for Engaging the Public with Research helps embed public engagement in universities and research institutes by outlining the expectations for and responsibilities of UK research funders with respect to public engagement. By setting out clear expectations for research organisations, research managers and supporters, and researchers themselves, the concordat aims to create better ways of engaging the public with science research across all disciplines. It also aims to strengthen existing good practices by ensuring public engagement is valued, recognised and supported.

The concordat has been signed and supported by institutions, departments, councils, and academies across the UK. Thus, it is a useful tool for creating institutional awareness.

The concordat consists of key principles for the future support of public engagement, which signatories are asked to endorse. Each principle contains explanations of how to embed it into institutional practice.

In conjunction with the concordat, the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) produced a series of briefings to facilitate support and implementation within research institutions. To strengthen dissemination, Research Councils UK (RCUK) produced a video that explored the benefits of public engagement with research and featured interviews with leading figures from academic and research communities.

Both the briefings and the video are available on the RCUK website. The NCCPE website contains additional information and resources to help managers and researchers develop public engagement activities and institutional strategies.