Engage 2021: Shaping ideas for change
Engage Conference 2021: Reframing the role of public engagement in higher education and setting an agenda for change
Engage 2021 took place on 1st and 2nd December 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 shape ideas for change. Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed - it was a truly collaborative, thought-provoking and action-led event!
We reflected on the issues we have collectively faced over the last 18 months - how the pandemic, tragedies, inequalities, movements and grass-roots activism of the last 18 months has disrupted the knowledge sectors significantly, but also opened up new opportunities to learn and re-focus the role of universities.
As well as a mix of inspirational plenaries, interactive workshops and networking opportunities, we also ran the Engage ‘Unconference’ for the first time – a plethora of activities and exhibits, bringing our community together in the weeks leading up to Engage to workshop ideas for change and share practice. The ideas and outcomes developed during the Unconference were shared and taken forward as part of the Engage Conference.
Engage 2021 Highlights
Catch up with all the highlights, discussions, outputs and action from Engage 2021. Explore daily livestreams from the Conference, hear from 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.
Catch up on the highlights from Engage 2021
Engage 2021 Unconference and Exhibition
Running from Thursday 11th October - Friday 12th November, the Engage Unconference was led by the engagement community for the engagement community, with the aim of developing actionable outcomes that support meaningful change for the sector.
Participants joined interactive workshops, thought-provoking discussions and live chats, and experienced a diversity of practices through a multimedia exhibition. The Unconference was centred around the themes our community have told us are important to them. These include equality, diversity and inclusion, redistribution of power, effective leadership, inclusive online engagement, civic engagement and moving beyond hero stories.
Several of our contributors also joined us live from the workshops and exhibition - head over to our Unconference YouTube playlist to delve deeper into some of the work that was on display and to meet the people behind the practice.
Thank you to everyone who joined us to explore engagement practice in all its forms, and to create conversations and actions that will help to inform new directions for public engagement.