Public engagement
Creating impact through the establishment of a well-informed, knowledgeable society.
Engaging with the public is a powerful way to build trust, share knowledge, and counter misinformation or misconceptions about research. Public engagement goes beyond communication – it can also involve meaningful collaboration with individuals, communities, and organisations throughout the research process.
What is public engagement?
Public engagement can take many forms, from sharing findings in accessible ways to involving the public as partners in research. It is not only about knowledge dissemination, but also about dialogue, co-production, and shared learning.
Examples of public engagement include:
- Writing for blogs, newspapers or popular science and research platforms
- Participating in podcasts, radio interviews or public talks
- Running focus groups, workshops or community forums
- Involving the public as citizen scientists or co-researchers
- Collaborating with schools, libraries, marae, museums or local groups
Public engagement guidelines
Royal Society Te Apārangi has established public engagement guidelines for researchers and scholars, based on three core principles:
- That society benefits from being engaged and informed about new knowledge and its application
- That differing contexts of engagement bring different obligations
- That acting with professionalism and transparency is necessary to build and maintain public trust
Read the Royal Society's public engagement guidelines.
Using social media to support public engagement
Social media can be a powerful tool for sharing research and involving the public. It enables real-time communication, extends your reach, and opens up global conversations. Using social platforms can be specifically helpful for the following:
- Bridging the gap: Eliminating the gap between academic findings and society’s general knowledge
- Instant and increased reach: A much larger audience can be reached instantly through social media in comparison to audiences at face-to-face events or through publications
- Raising awareness and promotion: Posting and sharing content about current projects may increase awareness around the research project and give anyone seeing the content an opportunity to reach out to collaborate
- Developing conversation: Social platforms extend to individuals all over the world, therefore providing the opportunity for international input into discussions and conversations around your research
The National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) has created a helpful social media guide, What works: Engaging the public through social media.