Edinburgh BeltaneBeacon for Public Engagement

Dr Heather ReaNetwork Coordinator/ Project Manager

10 June 2008

Edinburgh Beltane Aim

Embedding a Culture Change

Fostering Growth

Embedding a Culture ChangeChanging Perceptions

Edinburgh Beltane Aim

Edinburgh Beltane Theme

Encouraging citizen participation and understanding of areas of research relevant to public policy such as health and life sciences, energy and the environment.

Edinburgh Beltane Theme

Plans

• Public Engagement Fellows

• Public Engagement Challenges

• Events

• Training

• Human Resources

• Awards

Plans & Progress

• Public Engagement Fellows – 6 month part-time funded secondments from

HEI’s– To create ambassadors

To be discussed at inaugural steering group meeting and

implemented Jan 09.

Plans & Progress

• Public Engagement Challenge– A competition for the best new Public

Engagement activity– To create incentive and growth

To be discussed at inaugural steering group meeting and

implemented Jan 09.

Plans & Progress

• Host Public Engagement Events– To create incentive, opportunity, learning and

awareness

5 Events planned1. Carnegie Festival of Imagination. 30th Aug to

6th Sept

2. Edinburgh Beltane Launch, 30 Sept 2008

3. Regenerative Medicine: How will it Change my Life? 24th November 2008

4. Complementary Medicine, 27th March 2009

5. Climate change enquiry tba

Plans & Progress

• Provide training events– Provide staff development opportunities– To create confidence and quality

3 Events planned1. Dark Skies Scotland, Autumn 2008

2. Practitioners event, tba

3. RAEng funded DEEPER project, 2008/2009

Plans & Progress

• Work with human resources– Identify and embed rewards and recognition

into institutional career progression routes

Early stage contact with HR at two partner institutions.

Plans & Progress

• Encourage Institutions to set up Awards for excellence in Public Engagement– Provide recognition and reward– To change perceptions

Tam Dalyell Prizefor Excellence in Engaging the Public with

Science

The Principal's Medal for a significant contribution to support or

benefit the wider community

Other Progress to date

• Recruitment – Me– Administrator soon

• Evaluation

What we want today

• Early stages

• To observe and learn from those ahead of us

• To share our findings about policy and HR at a later stage

Thanks

Angus Giving the Beltane Cheer, Photographer: Ove Hansen