Engage 2022: Changing Universities
Engage Conference 2022: Live and Online
Bookings are now closed.
As the pressures on the university sector mount – demanding change on our internal cultures and a step change in our engagement with wider society – this year's Engage Conference will provide a welcome space to pause and make sense of the collective challenges we face. Bringing together people from inside and outside Higher Education, and from different engagement specialisms, we will take stock of the system-shaking changes we are living through and develop a shared agenda and road map to help us navigate the months ahead.
Join us for a mind-expanding, inspiring and people-centred exploration of how universities can fulfil their social purpose. Come to share your experiences, to learn alongside colleagues, and to recharge your batteries for the challenges ahead.
This year, Engage will consist of two day-long events: Engage Live and Engage Online. Realising the value for many of meeting face to face, and the flexibility afforded by engaging online, Engage will make the most of both worlds.
Engage Live will take place in person in Bristol on Wednesday 7th December - a day of inspiring plenary talks, networking sessions and smaller discussion groups. There will also be an informal, in-person networking event on the evening of 6th December, giving us a chance for a long overdue catch up with old friends and colleagues, and to meet some new ones!
Engage Online will take place the following week on Thursday 15th December. Making the most of online engagement, this programme will build on day 1, bringing a new array of guest speakers, interactive sessions and fresh conversations.
Aimed at anyone interested in public and community engagement with research and innovation, including public engagement professionals, senior leaders, community leaders, policy makers, and funders, Engage 2022 will provide practical insights to help navigate the rapidly evolving engagement landscape.
Venue and Prices
Venue
Engage Live will take place at EP1, located at The University of the West of England’s Frenchay Campus. Engage Online will be delivered on Zoom and joining instructions will be sent nearer the time.
The closest station that serves long-distance trains is Bristol Parkway. This is a 30 minute walk from the venue, or a 5 minute taxi ride. Filton Abbey Wood Station is a 16-minute walk away and serves local trains from Bristol Parkway and Bristol Temple Meads. For those staying in the centre of Bristol, buses regularly service the UWE campus. Parking is also available at the venue.
Directions and travel instructions for the Engage Live venue can be found here.
The evening reception will take place in the centre of Bristol, at a venue that will be shared with registered attendees.
Ticket prices
Early Bird Booking Rates are available until Monday 24th October:
- Engage Live and Engage Online: £225 +VAT
- Engage Online (online event and behind-the-scenes broadcast from the live event): £75 +VAT
- Engage Live: £150+VAT
Full rate from Tuesday 25th October:
- Engage Live and Engage Online: £275 +VAT
- Engage Online (online event and behind-the-scenes broadcast from the live event): £85 +VAT
- Engage Live: £190 +VAT
Programme
Each year we try to make Engage different from previous years, in terms of the content covered, and the approach to engage with delegates. This year, we have chosen to focus on working collectively with lots of opportunities for people to explore together, drawing on their knowledge, skills and experience. In these uncertain times, we also wanted to ensure that Engage 2022 is as flexible and low-cost as possible.
We are inviting contributions from people for Engage, but not in our normal way. When booking places at the event people will be invited to apply to showcase their work at Engage Live and/or at Engage Online through our poster parties. We have also created an open space session at Engage Online where we invite delegates to come with specific challenges they want to explore. We hope, therefore, to provide plenty of opportunities for delegate-led content. You can view the Engage 2022 programmes at the links below.
View the Engage Live Programme
View the Engage Online Programme
We hope to provide a rich experience for all!
COVID-19 and Accessibility Considerations
Following feedback, we have elected to run one day of the conference in-person and one day online, in the hope of creating a conference that is accessible to the different preferences and needs of our delegates.
We are committed to the health and wellbeing of conference attendees, venue staff, NCCPE staff and the wider community, and therefore have put the following COVID-19 measures in place.
We have also put several measures in place to ensure that both the online and in-person events are as accessible as possible. This includes:
In-person event accessibility information
- All areas of the event are wheelchair accessible
- There are accessible toilet facilities available in the main event area
- We provide a separate quiet room for delegate use throughout the event
- Parking is available in a car park next to the venue - spaces can be pre-booked below
- You are welcome to bring a personal assistant, or service animal
- Conference sessions will take place both in plenary and in small discussion groups. Delegates will have the option to take some time for reflection instead of joining small group discussions
- There will be a networking session in an open atrium space
Online event accessibility information
- The online event will take place on Zoom
- Presenters will be using a live camera and audio and will show slides.
- There will be live captioning available
- Delegates will also be able to share their camera and audio if invited to do so
- Some of the interactions will take place using a chat function, where people can type their responses. The Chair of the event will summarise the main chat points verbally throughout.
- You are welcome to bring a personal assistant
- Conference sessions will take place both in plenary and in small group discussions. Delegates will have the option to take some time for reflection instead of joining small group discussions
If you have any additional requirements that will help you to fully participate in the Conference, please let us know on the booking form.
We will be recording parts of the event and making a summary of Engage Online available for those who are unable to attend. We are currently finalising what this will look like in practice.
Cancellation Policy
We are hopeful that an in-person event will be possible in December, but reserve the right to cancel the in-person element of the event if necessary. In this case the event will be run online, and delegates will receive a refund of £75 +VAT for early bird tickers and £85 +VAT for full price tickets. You can see our cancellation guidelines here.
Engage 2021: Highlights
Engage 2021 took place on 1st and 2nd December 2021 and provided the opportunity for all those invested in public engagement within a higher education context to come together and be inspired, challenged and encouraged to collectively set an agenda for change. It was a truly collaborative, thought-provoking and action-led event!
Not sure if Engage Conference is for you?
Catch up with all the highlights, discussions, outputs and action from Engage 2021! Explore exhibits and activities, stream discussions with our theme leads and exhibitors as they share a diversity of practice and approaches, celebrate the 2021 Engage Watermark winners, and listen to our inspiring plenaries.