City, Coast and Countryside 2 : Welcome : CUE East Newsletter Spring/Summer 2011
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CUE East Newsletter Issue 03 Spring/Summer 2011 Engaging with Communities… City, Coast and Countryside 2 : Welcome : CUE East Newsletter Spring/Summer 2011 A story of change Contents Now that we are three and a half years into our Partnership Focus – Norwich Castle Museum . 3 four year pilot project, it is time to start reflecting CUE East Q&A . 3 on our overall impact. Our original task, given to CUE East News & Reports. 4 us by the Beacon Funders, was to create a culture in higher education where public engagement is Cafés Scientifiques – more than a “formalised, and embedded as a valued and greasy spoon . 5 recognised activity” for staff and students. A UEA News . 6 number of questions spring to mind. Have we CUE East and the University of made any difference to the way that University of East Anglia – a story of change . 7–10 East Anglia (UEA) staff and students engage with Collaboration News & Reports . 11 local communities? Do people, inside and outside Funded Projects 2010/11 . 12/13 UEA, understand what we mean by community engagement? As I said in our Role Change for Engagement . 14 last newsletter, it is a term used in a wide variety of contexts. In our “Story of change” publication, available as a pull-out in this newsletter, you will find an Reward & Recognition – Individual Public account of how it’s gone so far. Engagement Awards 2010/11. 14/15 Evidence of our impact has been provided via an extensive evaluation Contacts and information . 16 programme carried out by a researcher employed by City College Norwich, who has worked alongside the project from the outset. We were unique amongst the six national Beacons for Public Engagement in setting up an iterative evaluation process that provided for independent research on the impact of our project from the perspective of everyone involved, inside and outside the University. The researcher used a wide range of methods, including an annual stakeholder perception survey, focus groups, interviews and participant observation. You are welcome to read the account and tell us what you think. Does this reflect your experience of CUE East or of the University? I would love to hear HeHe, Plane Jam, from you, whether it does or it doesn’t. courtesy Invisible Dust (page 12) I am also pleased to report that we have been awarded an extension to 30th June 2012. Our team remains as committed as ever and there is CUE East Newsletter still much to do! Editor: Ruth Selwyn-Crome Julie Worrall, Project Director, CUE East Design and layout: Anne Reekie Print: Anglia Print, 100% recycled paper Front cover picture: Artists for Climate Change – Alison Atkins Welcome Welcome to our latest Newsletter, put I would like to add my welcome to this CUE together by the CUE East team with our key East Newsletter. The last 21 months have partners in mind. We are sufficiently far into been a tumultuous time in higher this pilot project to begin to take stock and education as, like many other reflect on the lessons learnt. How have the organisations, universities face groups and communities we have engaged unprecedented funding cuts under the with benefitted; what has UEA gained? You Comprehensive Spending Review but also can begin to get a sense of what has been achieved from this adjust to prepare for the new framework for student finance in Newsletter, from the accounts of partnership working, the awards, 2012. In this rapidly changing climate, one thing that has not the collaborations, and in particular the more detailed accounts of changed, however, is the recognition of the value of public the specific projects we have funded. Best practice is emerging, engagement activities. As university finance becomes subject to case studies are being disseminated and an engagement culture greater public and political scrutiny, so it can only be a good is beginning to embed within UEA. It is increasingly important that thing that universities strive to reach out and engage with wider universities are more actively engaged with the diverse communities, both locally and nationally but also internationally. communities within which they exist, and despite our successes it At UEA we remain fortunate in having CUE East as a Beacon is clear that an awful lot more remains to be done. That is our project helping to progress and learn from our public challenge for the rest of the pilot. engagement work in all its forms. Keith Roberts, Chair, CUE East Steering Group Neil Ward, Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences, UEA CUE East Newsletter Spring/Summer 2011 : ?? : 3 Partnership Focus – Norwich Castle Museum Whilst collaboration between specific UEA Schools and the Norwich Castle Museum has taken place for some time, the Castle’s partnership with CUE East has helped to consolidate relations and create new and sustainable opportunities. Here are a few examples of the creative partnerships assisted by CUE East. Seal Matrices: in 2008, Matthew Cafés: on hearing about the CUE Q&A with Kathryn Moore Sillence, a postgraduate researcher East Café training at UEA (featured in UEA’s School of World Art Studies on page 5 ), the Castle requested a The conference involves a How did you approach diverse array of partners. the schools? & Museology (ART), asked CUE East session for their staff. Professor What motivated you to bring Individually, by letter or email, for assistance with his voluntary Peter Brimblecombe provided the these organisations together? and usually to a named work at the Castle on bringing training (facilitated by CUE East) I was looking for more person. For the upcoming together a collection of seal which resulted in a series of five opportunities to use our new conference I asked science matrices (metal dies used for cafes being run alongside the “Art natural history gallery with and other school advisors impressing wax), making them of Faith” exhibition, hosted by Dr schools and especially from Norfolk County Council secondary schools. I noticed Childrens’ Services to more widely available to the public. Margit Thofner, a UEA senior that 2010 was the promote it for me. It is a It involved producing impressions lecturer (ART). At a recent Castle International Year of difficult balancing act as we from the matrices for the public to exhibition, “Restless Times: Art in Biodiversity and approached have only got 100 places. handle and learn more about their Britain 1914 - 1945”, the Café was Scott Perkin, Co-ordinator at What has been the most form, function and meaning attended by 32 participants. Colly “Norfolk Biodiversity rewarding aspect for you Partnership” who was very through the centuries. CUE East Mudie, Learning Manager at the personally ? excited about working with the Two highlights were when funded an expert from the British Castle, described the Café concept Museum. He suggested David students saw a specimen of Museum to train UEA and Castle as particularly useful for temporary North’s involvement as a newly discovered British fly, staff, in Norwich on modern exhibitions, saying, “It acts as a Education Manager from presented by our senior Norfolk Wildlife Trust. An replication techniques and the vehicle to bring in an expert who natural history curator, application to CUE East was matrices are now publicly available. can work with all age groups.” Tony Irwin, who was due to suggested and very soon we name it and when David To date, over 200 matrices have Cafes are now a regular feature of had colleagues from UEA, North finished the closing been catalogued. Staff can now the exhibition programme. NBIS (Norfolk Biodiversity address with a poem which create modern impressions when Information Service) and Take One Picture: this national sent a shiver through the NNNSI (Norfolk Non- Native required and conserve an auditorium. I know that programme helps schools to Species Initiative) joining the additional 1,200 nineteenth- when I was studying A-level engage with local museums. Under team. century casts, hitherto unseen by the remit of this scheme, the CUE Biology I would have been Are similar workshop topics blown away by those things. the public. East Small Expenses Fund paid for being discussed this year? You recently picked up a Science and Communication: UEA students to travel to Stalham Topics and aims will stay the Norwich ECO award at City UEA’s School of Biological Sciences Junior School and assist with their same but we hope to make Hall for the project – is it (BIO) this year celebrates a five Arts week in June 2009. Stalham some workshops a little more important to be rewarded? active. This year we are very years collaboration with the Castle Junior’s work went on to be Yes it is really important. pleased to have Matt Even when we get older, it which commenced at the 2006 BA included in a national case study. Hutchings and some of his really helps to be reassured Festival of Science in Norwich. Biodiversity Conferences 2010 students to explain his work that you are doing a good job Undergraduate students are now with leaf cutter ants that and 2011: Kathryn Moore, and achieving worthwhile produce natural anti- undertaking, “Science and Learning Officer for the Norfolk things. Communication” as part of their microbials. Museums and Archaeology Service, What one piece of advice What were the most difficult degree, designing a science-based would you like to give any won funding from CUE East to run a aspects in organising an activities with a variety of community organisation sixth form conference in the event on this scale? audiences, honing their design and that wishes to work with a International Year of Biodiversity I wanted to let students communication skills.