Invitation for proposals for evaluation of the NCCPE

Since it was established in 2008, the NCCPE has worked with people and organisations across the UK higher education system, and beyond, to inspire and support culture change. We are focused on mobilising higher education (HEI) and knowledge institutions to realise the value for long-term change of public and community engagement (P&CE) in research and innovation. 

We aim to inspire collective action across and beyond the HE system and promote environments and cultures in which high-quality and equitable engagement is recognised, rewarded and can flourish. 

The NCCPE is primarily an enabling organisation, working with institutions to inspire and support change in the HE system. To help realise its vision, the NCCPE offers expert services and consultancy, training and accreditation, and research and policy activity to help inform assessment, policy and funding frameworks in the UK higher education sector. 

The NCCPE is co-hosted by the University of the West of England, Bristol and the University of Bristol. It is core funded by UKRI, Research England, DoENI, SFC, MEDR and Wellcome.

• Our vision

An inclusive higher education sector where communities can contribute to, and benefit from, knowledge, teaching and research.  

• Our mission

To mobilise universities and research organisations to realise the value of public and community engagement for long-term change. We aim to inspire collective action across and beyond the HE system and promote environments and cultures where high-quality and equitable engagement activity is recognised, rewarded, and can flourish. 

The NCCPE is seeking proposals for an evaluation, covering the period 2015–2025, of its work, capabilities, influence, outcomes, activities and services, which will enable the NCCPE and its funders to understand and interpret the extent to which it is successfully realising its vision, its contribution to sector learning and the value and quality of the return on funders’ investment.

As an enabler of others, the NCCPE’s impact and influence is often indirect, relational and system-facing.  We therefore anticipate that the evaluation plan will need to be framed in a way that enables it to be iterative and agile. While we suggest it should address three main evaluation questions (below), your proposal can include other questions you believe to be relevant and plans for how you will adapt the evaluation in response to emerging evidence.

• To what extent has the NCCPE been a significant influence in mobilising HEIs to realise the value of P&CE?
• To what extent has the NCCPE been successful in inspiring collective action across and beyond the HE system to promote cultures and environments of high-quality and equitable engagement?
• To what extent has the nature of the NCCPE as an infrastructure organisation been important in delivering against its core aims?

At the NCCPE, we strive to live our values. We put learning and reflection at the heart of all our activities to enable us to realise our commitments to inclusive practice. Our commitment to inclusion is public; you can read more about it here: NCCPE Statement of Inclusion.

In line with our inclusive culture, we will welcome proposals from people and organisations with a wide variety of backgrounds, life experiences and organisational knowledges, recognising that they bring rich experiences and different perspectives that are of great benefit to our work, alongside their skills and expertise.

Deadline for receipt of proposals (by email to nccpe.enquiries@uwe.ac.uk): 10am on 29th June 2026

If you have any questions, or would like to discuss the brief before you submit your proposal, please email Ann Grand.