This report considers a curated set of sector-led efforts to unite R&D advocates and shift the identify of R&D in people’s minds, setting out the lessons and recommendations drawn from a diverse range of individual campaigns. These recommendations emphasise the need to forge effective collaborations, ensure that advocacy messages are relevant and relatable, manage resources wisely and – fundamental to all others – to understand your audiences.
Expert Workshops
We are hosting a series of workshops to speak directly to experts who engage with public audiences day-in, day-out.
We want to collate sources of inspiration, highlight effective messages and messengers, and pinpoint what’s working and what’s challenging.
We are publishing the recommendations from each workshop, to help advocates across the R&D sector to learn from colleagues in other areas.
Explore the individual workshop reports below.
R&D in Net Zero conversations
We spoke to climate advocates to understand how R&D has been used to engage the public on Net Zero.
R&D in local communities
We spoke to those shaping the public-facing identity of R&D campuses and institutes to understand how they connect with the communities on their doorsteps.
R&D in Greater Manchester
We spoke with organisations across Greater Manchester to understand the role that R&D can play in the region’s future, how the public can be involved into that decision.
R&D in Belfast
We spoke with organisations across Belfast to understand the role that R&D can play in Northern Ireland’s future, how the public can be involved into that decision.
R&D in charity communications
We spoke to medical research charities to understand how they engage the public with R&D through their fundraising campaigns and donor communications.
R&D and Universities
We spoke to organisations across the higher education sector to understand the role R&D, innovation and technology play in engagement with the public around universities’ role in society.