IATL Engagement Practice

IATL approaches engagement as a relational practice to develop a connected and collaborative learning community.

We use WIE's definitionLink opens in a new window of engagement alongside the NCCPE definitionLink opens in a new window of engaged teaching to develop 'teaching activities which positively impact on the community and enhance students' engagement skills'. We aim to develop socially-engaged learners and student researchers who place participation and inclusion at the heart of their work. Our current strategy intersects with the University Education Strategy Link opens in a new windowin a number of ways, and our engagement work focuses on the Connection and Community strand in particular.

If you are a student wanting to engage with the public, local communities or global audiences online, you can start that journey with an interdisciplinary module here or a student research project here.

In 2025/26 we are launching our new Engagement & Participatory Practice module for postgraduates which will combine interdisciplinary approaches to engagement and participation in practice. We have several other examples of socially-engaged pedagogies available here:

• Posters in Parliament is an annual student research event to engage MPs and policymakers
• Public Engagement module for undergraduates (with the Warwick Institute for Engagement)
• Applied Imagination module explores creative practice on climate change with local young people
• Serious Tabletop Game Design includes a fieldtrip to the UK Games Expo in Birmingham
• The Science of Music engages with the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire as part of the module
• Thinking Water for postgraduates features a citizen science project to address local river pollution
• Social Entrepeneurship in Action shows postgraduates how to create social and environmental impact
• Our funded projects with students and staff regularly support engagement activities and workshops
• The ICUR Engagement and Communication Training Programme is available for student researchers