Event 6 Direct Public Engagement

13-14 March 2014, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes

Day one of this two-day closing event considered best practice for academics wishing to reach the public directly. A series of hands-on sessions gave practical tips and hints on how to make best use of Twitter, blogging and podcasting (broad dissemination vs targeted engagement, for example). There was also discussion of the place of this type of engagement in a rounded academic portfolio. The afternoon of the second day included a reflective discussion on the comparative advantages of different types of public engagement—direct, media and collaborative—and provided an opportunity to plan engagement activities. 

Following the end of the formal training period, there will be a mentoring and consolidation phase to develop the public engagement plans generated during the programme and captured in the final session.

Event 6 Programme