Why Include PER in Your Research?

Many research funders assess proposals against criteria that public engagement can address, including responsible research and innovation, and impact.  

Engaging the public in your research has numerous benefits, such as: 

• Enhancing Research Quality and Impact: Public input ensures your research is relevant and inclusive, and can help increase support for and adoption of outputs and impacts arising from your research. 

• Strengthening Your Grant Applications: Most funders expect engagement as part of responsible research and innovation (RRI). Requesting funds for PER activities is a relatively small investment compared to the value of grants. Including PER will not negatively affect funding chances when the proposed science case is excellent. Instead, it enhances the proposal by demonstrating a commitment to societal relevance and stakeholder engagement. 

• Boosting Your Profile: Tangible engagement outcomes enhance your societal impact, making you more attractive to funders and employers. You can include these in the ‘wider societal benefit’ section of narrative CVs.  

• Saving time in the future: Securing funds for PER through your grants is generally more straightforward than pursuing dedicated PER schemes. These specific funding opportunities are often highly competitive, demanding rigorous standards and more detailed applications. By integrating PER into your research grants, you can streamline the process and save valuable time. 

• Flexibility: Grants typically offer greater flexibility to adapt your PER plans as your research evolves.