Session 10: LJMU engage - connect, collaborate, captivate to create a third space community for public engagement

Abstract

There is now a considerable body of work showing increased fluidity between academic and associated activities, for example, educational development, knowledge exchange and public engagement, with those responsible for them being employed on both academic and professional contracts (Whitchurch, 2023). This has led to a general movement in the direction of what has been termed ‘third space’ activity (Whitchurch 2013, 2018; Grant 2021; McIntosh and Nutt 2022). LJMU Engage is an innovative, hybrid programme for funded through LJMU by the Research England Researcher Development Fund. It is a purposeful collaboration between LJMU Academic and Professional Services staff and the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement. Attendees gain an understanding of how to define, support, lead and evaluate engaged research and create the conditions for public engagement (PE) practices to flourish. Using creative pedagogical approaches attendees developed skills for facilitating conversations about PE with colleagues, for discussion in PDPR, to cite within conferment/promotion applications and how to establish communities of practice within Faculties and Service Teams. Internal drivers of Place and Partnership, REF expectations on engagement and established KEF criteria make this course timely and valuable to several strategic agendas within and beyond LJMU. We evaluate the programme, hearing from the lived experience of participants including challenges they face, opportunities ahead and its scope towards creating communities from those ‘working in third space’ to represent those of ‘third space professionals’.

LJMU engage - connect, collaborate, captivate to create a third space community for public engagement PowerPoint. Only LJMU staff and students have access to this resource.