This survey has now closed, the results of the survey will be reported on in the Summer.

The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) has today launched the first ever survey to explore the factors affecting public engagement in arts and humanities research.

The AHRC survey has been designed to gather vital information on arts and humanities researchers’ understanding of and activities in the area of public engagement - as a means of supporting and promoting national and institutional goals in public engagement and, through them, the aspirations of researchers themselves.

The survey itself should take no more than fifteen minutes to complete but the information gathered from the UK arts and humanities researchers will be invaluable in providing evidence to support the development of strategies to encourage and support arts and humanities academics in their engagement with the public, policy makers and the media.

Speaking about the survey the AHRC Chief Executive, Professor Rick Rylance said that ‘Public interest in the arts and humanities has never been greater and never been more important. We hope that the results of the survey will guide how the AHRC and the community of academics, researchers and professionals in the arts and humanities can develop public involvement in our research at this important time.‘

Public engagement is described in the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) manifesto as “the many ways in which higher education institutions and their staff and students can connect and share their work with the public”. 

Paul Manners, who is Director of the NCCPE has said of the survey ‘We know that arts and humanities researchers are engaging with the public in a huge variety of ways – work that is increasingly recognised as valuable and integral to academic life.  But until now we’ve not had a good overview of the scale or scope of the engagement activity, or of the particular issues or opportunities for the arts and humanities community.  This survey should provide a valuable insight into the major contribution researchers and universities are making to the cultural life of the UK and some pointers to how to better support this important work.‘

The survey can be accessed at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JDDV3SR (external website opens in new window).

The survey is now closed and the results of the survey will be reported on in the Summer.

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AHRC Media Contact Jake Gilmore j.gilmore@ahrc.ac.uk Tel: 01793 41 6021
 
 
Notes to editors:
 
The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC): Each year the AHRC provides approximately £112 million from the Government to support research and postgraduate study in the arts and humanities, from languages and law, archaeology and English literature to design and creative and performing arts. In any one year, the AHRC makes approximately 700 research awards and around 1,300 postgraduate awards. Awards are made after a rigorous peer review process, to ensure that only applications of the highest quality are funded. The quality and range of research supported by this investment of public funds not only provides social and cultural benefits but also contributes to the economic success of the UK.

In December 2010 all seven UK research councils signed up to the new Concordat for Engaging the Public with Research. The aim of the Concordat is to create a greater focus on and help embed public engagement with research across all disciplines in the higher education and research sectors. RCUK website (external website opens in new window) 

National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) (extenal website opens in new window)