What is Public Engagement?
Public engagement is a process that brings people together to address issues of common importance, to solve shared problems, and to bring about positive social change. Effective public engagement invites average citizens to get involved in deliberation, dialogue and action on public issues that they care about. And, it helps leaders and decision makers better understand the perspectives, opinions, and concerns of citizens and stakeholders. When done well, public engagement goes far beyond the “usual suspects” to include those members of the community whose voices have traditionally been left out of political and policy debates. Moreover it: • helps people weigh a variety of perspectives and listen to each other’s views; • builds common understanding, manages differences and establishes direction for moving ahead on tough issues; • builds trust and improves communication between the public and leaders; • creates new opportunities for citizens to become involved in public problem solving
For the purposes of this initiative the term ‘public engagement’ covers a wide range of activities. Any good public engagement activity should involve specialists listening to, developing their understanding of, and interacting with non specialists. It covers schemes that involve non specialists in the work of HEI’s and research institutions and centres, and can include participatory processes and activities in museums, arts festivals and the science centres. However, it does not include activities where the primary purpose is to generate approval or acceptance of the institution (such as might be carried out by an organisation’s public relations department), or to recruit students, for example through open days. The term public includes individuals, groups, young people and their families who do not currently have a formal relationship with an HEI through teaching, research or knowledge transfer, but who may have an interest in these activities.
