Edinburgh Beltane Additional Information

Aims

The Edinburgh Beltane aims to embed a culture change within the higher education partners through fostering growth and changing perceptions, and to encourage citizen participation and understanding of areas of research relevant to public policy such as health and life sciences, energy and the environment.

• Developing a collaborative partnership throughout the Edinburgh Beltane

• Embedding a culture of public engagement across the partnership

• Running events and activities with partners & share best practice

• Establishing effective training and support.

• Developing structure to meet ongoing public engagement support needs.

Working groups

To help us push forward our objectives, we set up working groups, such as the Training and Staff Development Group, to assist with setting up good evaluation practices, creating event opportunities through seed funding, developing pilot training programmes and to help us identify ways in which we can embed the culture change throughout institutions by influencing the recognition and rewards for academics and researchers.

Public Engagement Fellowship Programme

The Edinburgh Beltane Public Engagement Fellowship Programme was also launched at the end of 2008. This was proposed to assist academics to participate in the development of public engagement (PE) activities and events. The Fellow will share their learning with the members of the Edinburgh Beltane and other beacons and on completion they will act as a key contact and ambassador for public engagement within their institution.

In addition the Edinburgh Beltane partners continue to carry out pubic engagement activities ranging from activities at the Edinburgh International Science Festival, exhibitions, public lectures, debates and theatre projects.