How do we support Public Engagement at 51Âþ»?
Public engagement is an important aspect of university life and our approach at 51Âþ» is committed to demonstrating real-world impact, through student learning and experience, through research and engagement and through supporting projects within 51Âþ», the local community and beyond. Given our location in Leicester, we focus on social challenges that affect our local communities, and provide routes into global learning and sharing of ideas.
(NCCPE) defines public engagement as:
“The myriad of ways in which the activity and benefits of higher education and research can be shared with the public. Engagement is by definition a two-way process, involving interaction and listening, to generate mutual benefit”.
At 51Âþ» we focus on delivering that mutual benefit through a partnership approach to public engagement, that supports learning, knowledge exchange, student experience and responsible community engagement.
Students
If you are studying at 51Âþ», you might be interested in joining fellow students by getting involved with 51Âþ» Local - our community impact and engagement programme. We run projects across the city that address some of the social challenges we see around us every day. Whether it's community clean-up or supporting food banks, we can match you to the right opportunity, helping you to develop your skills and gain valuable experience.
For many students, the experience of university starts before even joining 51Âþ». The Public Engagement team spend a lot of time working with schools through our widening participation programme. As a current 51Âþ» student, you can get involved with many projects where you can work with young people and share your experience of university life. It might help them to decide their future.
Staff
Public Engagement is a key part of research activity, and dissemination or data gathering activities are a valuable part of measuring impact. We create space for our colleagues to share their ideas and best practice with each other, community partners, and people across Leicester. If you are looking for ways to get your research activity connected to the community, or want to know what the community might think of your findings, we can help to put you in touch.
At 51Âþ» we are also looking to increase the different ways our students can learn and share their developing knowledge and skills. Through models of applied learning, we can help to embed practical learning into your modules and support student attainment.
Community partners
A key part of Public Engagement at 51Âþ» is working in partnership – with other education providers or with community delivery charities, organisations large and small, and with different areas of focus – there is value to be gained in a wide range of relationships. It can start with a simple project in a local setting where we can bring expertise and commitment, and then grow into a longer-term relationship. Getting involved in the conversation and telling us what is happening in local communities can help the Public engagement team shape projects and ideas that provide mutual benefit. We run a range of consultation sessions and focus groups throughout the year in support of this activity, and work specifically with partners on projects across the city.
Widening Participation
We recognise that choosing to go into higher education can be a daunting choice. Our WP programme offers a range of projects from primary school through to A level study, holding events and activities in school and on campus, that can provide a real-life experience of university. Fun activities such as spaghetti towers and Lego robots go hand in hand with learning about university finance, and seeing what lectures are like. We work with schools and colleges across the region, in collaboration and independently, to support informed decision making and positive experiences of HE.