4. Community, Civic and Public Engagement

The different types of engagement explained

Although the different types of engagement overlap, there are differences in emphasis.

Public engagement: covers all subject areas and incorporates various initiatives to engage the public with research and academic activity - perhaps through 'dialogue', or though 'science cafe' style events (as well as the more traditional lecture-style formats, exhibitions and events).  The Beacons for Public Engagement project is seeking to embed public engagement in the HE sector.

Community engagement: focuses on working with communities. Often has 'intermediaries' to connect university expertise to community need.  Could be through strategic projects (eg South East Coastal Communities) or brokerage-style activity (eg the Brighton University Community Helpdesk or the Science Shop movement.)  The approach is informed by a long tradition of community development.  It also connects to the US tradition of 'service' and the 'engaged university' (eg Boyer's 'The Scholarship of Engagement'). Many of the beacons are working in ways which involve community engagement as well as public engagement.  

Civic Engagement: focuses on partnerships between universities and regional strategic bodies and public services, often fuelled by regeneration funding (eg 'Urban Regeneration: Making a Difference').  Civic engagement often includes attempts to link university research to policy development, either at a regional or national level.  Beacon North East and the Edinburgh Beltane are both informed by traditions of civic engagement.

Business Engagement: now a long established feature in the HE landscape, informed by a variety of traditions and models including 'Knowledge Transfer', 'Knowledge Exchange', Commercialisation and Technology Transfer.   It does extend to include interaction with public and third sectors, not just business, and so 'bleeds' into other areas.  Connects to science and innovation policy, see for instance NESTA's 'The Connected University' report (April 2009).

Whilst public engagement sees universities and research institutes working directly with different publics or groups, community and civic engagement usually involve them working with the public through strategic partnerships with 'intermediaries', e.g. with a local museum or community organisations.  These different 'routes' to the public are illustrated in the diagram below.

You can access a description of this diagram here.