Public engagement

Definition and objectives

Public engagement means many things to many people but at its core, it is about involving people and groups from outside of academia in the work of the university.

Public engagement is essential to achieving UCL’s core mission of transforming how the world is understood, how knowledge is created and shared, and how complex problems are solved. Public engagement is a key pathway to enhance the university’s impact in society, and a route to inform and influence public discourse. 

Building upon UCL’s history, experience and knowledge, we are committed to embedding and sustaining a culture in which staff, students, departments, and the institution as a whole proactively listen to and engage with communities. 

UCL’s distinctive public engagement is characterised by three things:

• A focus on collaborative models of engagement;
• Involvement of diverse public groups, particularly those whose voices are heard less often; 
• A spirit of experimentation from which learning can emerge.

In this way, UCL plays a leading role in creating a culture of sharing within the higher education sector and beyond.

In practice

UCL Co-Production and Public Engagement provides UCL staff and students with dedicated advice, support, training and resources, to deliver the best possible co-production and public engagement activities.

Public engagement at UCL East campus works to support and recognise the important social, environmental, health and cultural contributions of our communities across east London and beyond.

Project highlights