1. Leading Engagement April McMahon Prifysgol Aberystwyth University
Engage 2012, Bristol, December

2. A starting point for discussion
Some initial points on the slides.
But the main point is to discuss – so I hope most of our time will be spent genuinely ‘in conversation’.
I may be in a University leadership position, but you have the breadth of experience as participants and practitioners – I am looking forward to bringing these perspectives together.

3. Some personal history
My own research has been very interdisciplinary – I am a linguist, but have worked extensively with geneticists, anthropologists, archaeologists and computer programmers, looking at how we can compare sounds and words across languages, group languages into families, and get quantitative data to compare across disciplines. I’ve also worked on comparing accents of English, and on how, when and why human language evolved.
My own experience of public engagement has been through lots of talks to general audiences (Science Cafes and the like); and involvement with interested groups from teachers to dialect coaches.
At Edinburgh, as Head of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, I led on the introduction of a College strategy for knowledge exchange and public engagement. At Aberystwyth, we are now appointing Professors in Public Engagement with Science, and in Engagement with the Public Imagination.
I also chaired the Vitae Advisory Group on the Researcher Development Framework.

4. Encouraging engagement
As a Vice-Chancellor, part of my job is to lead and encourage engagement –
with the University’s Strategic Plan
with business
with our community (this is particularly important for us in Aberystwyth)
with the public more broadly.

5. How do we lead engagement?
Show it’s a natural thing to do as part of a University career, which can and should be combined with research, supervision, teaching and leadership.
Include it in our strategies and make sure we talk about it with our Governing Body, government, alumni and other stakeholders.
Show we value it – e.g. through the recent revision of our academic promotions system.

6. But… Is it for everyone? Encouraging and leading versus requiring.
Where is the fine (and invisible) line between encouragement, valuing, validation on the one hand, and regulation and red tape on the other?
How can we reconcile the need for and value of a Public Engagement strategy with the lively, spontaneous and varied nature of engagement events?
How do we know that the features chosen are the most important?

7. Over to you!
How do we know that the features chosen are the most important?