[Public-engagement] Update from the Institute for Policy and Engagement

[Maria Richards]

Dear All



Sorry to add yet another item to what I am sure are overloaded inboxes, but I just wanted to offer some quick headlines of what the Institute for Policy and Engagement has been doing over the months since lockdown. This is not because I think we are due special praise or that our activities warrant particular attention, particularly compared to the Herculean efforts of those who are working on transforming teaching and learning, the student experience and student recruitment.



It is just that when we are all socially distancing it is even easier for things to fly under the radar, and I wanted to reassure you that (like everyone else) we aren’t sitting idle!



So in no particular order, we have:



-       Supported the Civil Contingencies work led by Jessica and John, with team members deployed as point people for NUH and other partners and help with developing the University’s approach to volunteering and secondments



-       Commissioned a blog series “After the Virus<https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/covid-19/after-the-virus/index.aspx>” which has attracted contributions from across the University and on a range of subjects



-       Moved our public lecture series online, with the first online Public Science Lecture held on 21 May with the next on 18 June<https://t.co/Z9nQ9bY5mv?amp=1>, with more (potentially including one or two events looking specifically at issues around COVID-19) before the summer and a series in development for the autumn

-       Following an open call, we have piloted a series of virtual open briefings with Parliamentarians with Nottingham researchers (on rural communities and mental health with Dr Sarah Holland, economic recovery after COVID-19 with Professor Sarah Hall and renewable energy storage with Professor Seamus Garvey.  We have reopened the call and will be running more over the next few months



-       Developed, with colleagues on the research side, a Research Strategy in Light of COVID-19 Mini-Conference scheduled for 26 June which aims to identify innovative research programmes that address the big challenges we all face in living with and recovering from the impact of the virus



-       Responded to a commission from the Government Office for Science (received via the Universities Policy Engagement Network, which I chair) to identify researchers and research centres that they can draw on in developing the evidence base for COVID-19 response across Government (looking at issues ranging from mental health, trust in Government to economic recovery, environmental issue and food systems)



-       Shared other opportunities to engage with policymakers (again wearing both UPEN and Nottingham hats): Embedded Scientists in SAGE COVID-19 Response Team (Behavioural & International), UKRI funding opportunities with the Ministry of Justice, calls for Covid-19 expertise at POST, National Assembly for Wales and Department for International Trade



-       Moved our training offer completely online, which has both increased accessibility for colleagues in UNNC and UNM, and has improved sign-up and attendance rates which is a lesson for the future



-       Provided one on one support to researchers looking to rethink how they do public engagement or policy impact work in this new environment, and for applicants to the UKRI COVID-19 open call, as well as our “business as usual” (remember that?) advice and support



-       Run online workshops, for example one between Primary Studios and UoN academics to explore lessons from a peer mentoring pilot and discuss next steps



-       Replanned our annual conference so that it will run virtually as a series of webinars and set piece events in November



I hope you find this helpful, and very happy to answer questions on any of it.  Please feel free to share.



Stephen



Stephen Meek

Director of the Institute for Policy and Engagement

Twitter: @UoN_Institute

Website: www.nottingham.ac.uk/policy-and-engagement/home.aspx<http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/policy-and-engagement/home.aspx>



If this email has been sent outside your normal working hours then please do not feel obliged to respond until your next working day



For queries, meetings etc:

Charlotte Lee

Executive Assistant

+44 (0) 115 74 87401

charlotte.lee at nottingham.ac.uk<mailto:charlotte.lee at nottingham.ac.uk>





+44 (0) 7966373248| nottingham.ac.uk<http://nottingham.ac.uk/>





[cid:image001.jpg at 01D63E71.63583500]<https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/covid-19/covid-19-emergency-appeal/covid-19-emergency-appeal.aspx>








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