Research

The NCCPE commissioned the following research to support the vinspired students project aims. We have also published other resources relevant to HEI public engagement.

Bursting the Bubble:  Students, Volunteering and the Community

The National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement, as part of its vinspired students project commissioned the Institute for Volunteering Research to investigate student volunteering and its impacts through case studies of six Higher Education Institutes (HEIs).  Bursting the Bubble, published in 2010, explores the motivations for, routes into, and perceived impacts of volunteering on students, universitites and the wider community. This is a under-researched area, at a time when universities are experiencing greater demand from students for volunteering opportunities, and universities face considerable challenges in their economic climate. 

Downloads and more on Bursting the Bubble.

The Role of University Student Volunteers in Festival-based Public Engagement

We commissioned the University of Cambridge's Public Engagement team, together with Dr Eric Jensen of the University of Warwick, to explore the involvement of universities in festivals. The research included surveys of festival organisers and participants, to gather evidence on the various ways that festivals are developed and delivered, and the role of students in this activity.

Downloads and more on Festivals. 

Research Synthesis: Student Volunteering - background, policy and context.

The synthesis, published in 2009, presents the key findings from a research project commissioned by the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement to provide the vinspired student project with a robust knowledge base to guide the development of the project.

The research was undertaken through interviews with university-based staff involved in student volunteering, as well as web searches and reviews of existing literature. Research synthesis details and download.