Engage Academy 2027
Our sector‑leading, 7-month development programme for people who design, deliver and enable meaningful engagement between research, organisations and communities.
About the Engage Academy
The Engage Academy – our flagship programme – supports participants to strengthen the capabilities needed to create high quality engagement and drive culture change within their organisation. Running over 7 months from January – July 2027, the Academy focuses on the role of being a ‘change-maker’ within organisations, providing the opportunity to network amongst peers, explore common challenges and build the confidence, skills and strategic insight to make engagement more effective, inclusive and impactful across a wide range of roles.
The Academy is for anyone whose work involves supporting, delivering or enabling engagement, whether your role sits in:
- civic or community engagement
- public engagement or involvement
- research impact and knowledge exchange
- outreach, widening participation or partnerships
- communications, learning or engagement strategy
If you are helping people connect, collaborate and learn together, this programme is designed for you.
Engage Academy will help you to:
- nurture a culture of engagement in your organisation
- support others to engage with the public and communities
- develop your agency and capabilities
Engage Academy 2027 will model the best online and in-person engagement approaches, content and networking opportunities and talks from leading figures in the engagement and higher education.
It helped me legitimise my role at my institution and professionalise my role. It made my senior management team sit up and listen a little bit more.
Academician
About the programme
Engage Academy provides a stimulating and flexible environment, encouraging thoughtful engagement with key ideas; informal networking and opportunities to access content at times convenient to you.
During the 7 month programme we will support participants to;
- Interrogate the high quality engagement principles of Purpose, Process, People and Evaluation
- Explore theory and practice around topics such as ethics, power, racially equitable practice, partnerships and cultural change
- Develop a strategic approach to embedding engagement at their organisation
- Explore their role as a changemaker
- Develop a strong and supportive network of peers
The programme content, curated by the NCCPE, provides innovative content and inspiring insights from expert sector leaders.
The programme components include;
- Two one-day, in-person events focused on peer sharing and networking, held in Bristol
- Two, two-day online workshops
- Three optional webinars with contributor discussions
- The opportunity to join a peer learning group
Please note for the 2027 Academy, we do not have the provision to live-record the in-person sessions. To get the most out of Engage Academy both for yourself and the wider cohort, we expect where possible that you attend the two in-person workshops in Bristol.
The Academy requires approximately 7 days commitment during the 7 month programme, which includes attendance at the workshops and preparatory work.
Previous Academicians talk about their experiences
2027 Dates and Timings
Please note by applying to the Engage Academy 2027 you are confirming your availability for the below dates. Preparation tasks for each workshop will take approximately 2 hours of your time.
Please note that this year we will not be able to offer a hybrid / streaming service for our in-person events. To get the most out of Engage Academy both for yourself and the wider cohort, we expect where possible that you attend the two in-person workshops which will take place in Bristol.
Event and Venue | Dates and Times |
Workshop 1 1 day, in-person, central Bristol | Thursday 28 January 2027 10:00 – 16:30 |
Workshop 2 2 days, online | Wednesday 24 & Thursday 25 March 2027 10:00 – 15:00 |
Workshop 3 2 days, online | Wednesday 19 & Thursday 20 May 2027 10:00 – 15:00 |
Workshop 4 1 day, in-person, central Bristol | Thursday 8 July 2027 10:00 – 16:00 |
Often it's one or two people within any university, and the Academy is a great chance to bring all of them together and have that kind of peer network.
Academician
Costs and Bursaries
The Engage Academy 2027 price is £1350
We are committed to supporting people in accessing the Academy. We offer 5 bursaries to those who would find the costs a barrier and can make the case for this. The Bursary price for Engage Academy 2027 is £775. If you would like to apply for a bursary, please make a case for this on your application form. Bursaries are assessed on a case-by-case basis once all applications have been received.
In addition, we can help you make an internal case for securing investment in your professional development.
Being able to find other people who share your values and understand the bigger picture, but also the nitty gritty, the frustrations of the minutiae, the interactions. That's really helpful because often within universities, the way in which we work is different to the way our colleagues might work.
Academician
How to apply
Applications for the Engage Academy 2027 are now open until 10am on Monday 02 November 2027. Secure your place and join a dynamic community of public engagement professionals driving change across higher education and beyond.
Meet the Programme Team
if you would like to get in touch to discuss Engage Academy 2027, please email engage.academy@uwe.ac.uk.
