2014 Engaging Research Award Scheme

An update on the Award Scheme: the next round of the Engaging Research Awards will be launched on 13 October 2014. Watch this space for further details.

The OU’s inaugural 2104 Engaging Research Award Scheme is now closed. Select Award Scheme for the full list of seven winners.

We will be running another round of the OU’s Engaging Research Award Scheme towards the end of 2014. We will announce the next round of the scheme through Associate Deans for Research and the Research and Career Development Team. We will also post information about the scheme on the OU’s intranet, through the Research Information Alert, and on this blog.

The NCCPE’s Public Engagement Competition is now closed to entries. The date for the Awards Ceremony for this national scheme is 11th June 2014.

Dr Richard Holliman, Chair of the Assessment Panel

Dr Richard Holliman, Chair of the Assessment Panel

Recognising and rewarding excellence
Are you involved in public engagement with research at the Open University? Have you been involved in an engaged research project that you want to share? Why not enter the Open University’s inaugural 2014 Engaging Research Awards Scheme?

The OU’s RCUK-funded Public Engagement with Research Catalyst team, ‘An open research university’, is running this Awards Scheme to find and celebrate high-quality public engagement with research at the OU.

The OU Awards Scheme has been timed to connect with the first national competition to celebrate excellence in public engagement with research. Entrants to the OU Awards Scheme can use their entries to enter this nationwide competition. Select Public Engagement Competition for further details of the NCCPE scheme.

NCCPE 2014 Public Engagement with Research Competition

NCCPE 2014 Public Engagement with Research Competition

Defining engaged research
Across the OU researchers are engaging with publics, user communities and stakeholders in lots of different ways and for lots of different reasons. Through this scheme we want to recognise and reward examples of  top quality engaged research in practice, and we want you to get involved.

We’re interested in applications covering projects from all disciplines, of any size, length and cost. However, the applications must demonstrate engaged research, which we define as:

Excellent public engagement with research is reflected in the different ways that researchers meaningfully connect and share research with various stakeholders, user communities and members of the public. Done well, public engagement with research will generate benefits, changes and effects for all participants as they share knowledge, expertise and skills. Excellence will be demonstrated partly through recognition of the contributions that all participants make to the shaping of research agendas, the processes of conducting research, and in the products of that research.

A judging panel will shortlist finalists in three categories: Research Leaders; Early Career Researchers; and Postgraduate Research Students. The finalists will be invited to an awards ceremony at the Open University in Milton Keynes between 12.30 and 13.15 on 12 March 2013.

The winners of the three categories will be offered £1,000. The prize money can be used in a number of different ways, e.g. to support the development of further engaged research work, or to go towards sharing completed work with others. (These funds must be spent before 31 October 2014.)

Frazer Bird, Andrew Norton, Clare Warren and Janice Ansine. Photo: Kate Bradshaw

Engaged researchers: Frazer Bird, Andrew Norton, Clare Warren and Janice Ansine. Photo: Kate Bradshaw

Eligibility

  • The awards scheme will be open to all current, ‘active’ Open University researchers in three categories:
    1. Research Leader, defined as a researcher holding a current research award from an external funding body, or who has held a research grant as PI in the last five years, either as a Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator;
    2. Early Career Researcher, defined as a researcher who has completed their PhD within the last ten years;
    3. Postgraduate Research Student, who should be currently registered to study for a PhD, either full-time or part-time, with the Open University.
  • Entries under the ‘Research Leaders’ and ‘Early Career Researcher’ categories require sign-off from their Associate Dean, Research (or equivalent) prior to submitting their entry. Postgraduate Research Student entrants should have successfully completed their Probation Review.

  • Applications from partners in collaborative projects are encouraged. However, the named applicant should be a current Open University researcher or postgraduate research student.
  • The scheme is open to individuals or groups but group entries must be submitted by one named individual who is the main contact for the competition.
  • All partners should agree to the entry into the competition and be acknowledged in the entry.
  • Collaborations with other HE/Research institutions are eligible but the named individual, who is the main contact for the competition, must be an Open University researcher or postgraduate research student.
  • The activity must have taken place within the last three years or be ongoing (depending on the nature of activity).
  • The activity must be an example of public engagement with research, as defined by the Awards Scheme. The entry could be of any size, length or cost.
  • Entrants agree to their entry being made public in a permanent repository at the Open University’s discretion.
  • Applicants must be available to attend the awards ceremony at the Open University’s Walton Hall campus between 12.30 and 13.15 on 12 March 2013.
  • Successful applicants will be able to claim reasonable travel costs to the awards ceremony for up to two non-OU contributors to the public engagement with research activity. (Travel costs will need to be agreed with the organisers of the Awards Scheme prior to any expenditure.)

Entry

Entry to the competition is now open.

Entry form

Completed forms should be submitted electronically to Fiona McKerlie in the Research, Scholarship and Quality Unit.

Closing date for applications: 14th February 2014 at 5pm.

Late entries will not be accepted. We will only accept entries that are made on the online form.

RCUK Concordat for Engaging the Public with Research

RCUK Concordat for Engaging the Public with Research

Criteria for assessing excellence

These awards seek to recognise outstanding contributions which meet the needs of publics, user communities and other stakeholders by addressing the aims of the University’s Research and Scholarship strategies. Such contributions need to demonstrate underpinning research excellence, assessed by quality of publications, external research funding, awards, other measures of esteem. (For postgraduate research student entries, a supervisor’s letter of endorsement will be required to confirm satisfactory progress with research objectives.) These contributions can then be substantiated against one or more of the following:

  1. The intention(s) should be clear, engaging publics, user communities and other stakeholders in meaningful ways.
  2. Providing innovative public engagement with research opportunities to effect change or mutual benefit.
  3. Contributing to positive change with respect to public engagement with research practice, policy or procedure.
  4. Developing publics, user communities and other stakeholders engagement skills and competencies.
  5. Illustrating an engagement in professional development activities.
  6. Demonstrating quality and critical reflection through effective evaluation of the activities.
  7. Engaging with and responding to the diverse needs of publics, user communities and other stakeholders.

Contact
Dr Richard Holliman, Chair of the Assessment Panel
Fiona McKerlie, Secretary to the Assessment Panel

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