Public and Community Engagement Module Development Fund
Do you want to include public or community engagement in your teaching?
The Public and Community Engagement Module Development Fund could support you. With this fund, we aim to facilitate innovation in the design or pedagogy of modules to include public or community engagement. We hope it will help departments to grow their own approaches to including public or community engagement in the curriculum by providing funding and by linking creators into the supportive expertise of colleagues in WIE, WIHEA and IATL.
Information session
All applicants are required to either attend an information session or meet with a member of the team. This is to help you put together a strong application and understand what support is available during your project. If you can’t attend a session, please contact Helen at to arrange a chat instead. The next information session is on 26th January at 2.00pm - 3.00pm, via Microsoft Teams.
Applications to the fund are welcomed under two categories: either innovation within an existing module or creation of a new module.
Innovation within an existing module
Apply for funding and support to develop new public or community engagement elements within a taught module(s) at UG or PGT level, through which students learn about and practise public or community engagement. The development process must include co-creation with a student or students.
The funding could be used to:
Pay for staff time.
Pay for student time. (See FAQ below for Unitemps costs.)
Purchase permanent resources for the teaching of the module.
Undertake relevant training or attend conferences that will inform the development process.
Pay for one-off costs to support effective working relationships with community partners.
The above is not an exhaustive list. If you have other ideas of how you want to spend your budget, please explain and justify them in your application.
Please note that if buying equipment, it must be specifically for use in the module. E.g., a laptop for a co-creator would not be funded.
The fund is intended to have sustainable, long-term impact so it should not be used for costs that only benefit one running of a module. For example, it should not be used to support students to do an engagement activity this year that couldn’t be repeated without additional funding the following year. Instead, for example, you could purchase equipment or learning resources that students could use every year.
Expected outputs from your project:
New public/community engagement element(s) within existing taught module(s) at UG or PGT level, through which students learn about and practise public/community engagement. For example:
A new form of assessment related to public engagement (such as a blog, vlog, or engagement project).
A new, non-assessed project students undertake during the module.
Public engagement-related resources (e.g., commissioning a video about public engagement approaches with external experts).
Other innovation specified by you in your application. This list is not exhaustive and your innovative ideas are welcomed.
If funding is used, a financial report on how it has been spent.
A case study for the WIE website which future applicants to the fund could learn from. Examples of webpages about existing modules can be found here. You might choose to present yours in a different way that suits you, for example by using videos or photos.
After the first running of your module, provide some additional reflections and examples for colleagues via our website.
Funding:
Up to £2,000. Applications for support without funding are also welcomed.
Creation of a new module with some elements on public or community engagement
Apply for funding and support to develop public or community engagement elements within a new taught module(s) at UG or PGT level, through which students learn about and practise public or community engagement. The development process must include co-creation with a student or students.
The funding could be used to:
Pay for staff time.
Pay for student time. (See FAQ below for Unitemps costs.)
Purchase permanent resources for the teaching of the module.
Undertake relevant training or attend conferences that will inform the development process.
Pay for one-off costs to support effective working relationships with community partners.
The above is not an exhaustive list. If you have other ideas of how you want to spend your budget, please explain and justify them in your application.
Please note that if buying equipment, it must be specifically for use in the module. E.g., a laptop for a co-creator would not be funded.
The fund is intended to have sustainable, long-term impact so it should not be used for costs that only benefit one running of a module. For example, it should not be used to support students to do an engagement activity this year that couldn’t be repeated without additional funding the following year. Instead, for example, you could purchase equipment or learning resources that students could use every year.
Expected outputs from your project:
New public/community engagement element(s) within existing taught module(s) at UG or PGT level, through which students learn about and practise public/community engagement. For example:
A new form of assessment related to public engagement (such as a blog, vlog, or engagement project).
A new, non-assessed project students undertake during the module.
Public engagement-related resources (e.g., commissioning a video about public engagement approaches with external experts).
Other innovation specified by you in your application. This list is not exhaustive and your innovative ideas are welcomed.
If funding is used, a financial report on how it has been spent.
A case study for the WIE website which future applicants to the fund could learn from. Examples of webpages about existing modules can be found here. You might choose to present yours in a different way that suits you, for example by using videos or photos.
After the first running of your module, provide some additional reflections and examples for colleagues via our website.
Funding:
Up to £2,000. Applications for support without funding are also welcomed.
Creation of a new module focused on public or community engagement
Apply for funding and support to create a new taught module at UG or PGT level in which students learn about and practise public or community engagement in relation to their subject/discipline. The module must be co-created with a student or students.
The funding could be used to:
Pay for staff time.
Pay for student time. (See FAQ below for Unitemps costs.)
Purchase permanent resources for the teaching of the module.
Undertake relevant training or attend conferences that will inform the development process.
Pay for one-off costs to support effective working relationships with community partners.
The above is not an exhaustive list. If you have other ideas of how you want to spend your budget, please explain and justify them in your application.
Please note that if buying equipment, it must be specifically for use in the module. E.g., a laptop for a co-creator would not be funded.
The fund is intended to have sustainable, long-term impact so it should not be used for costs that only benefit one running of a module. For example, it should not be used to support students to do an engagement activity this year that couldn’t be repeated without additional funding the following year. Instead, for example, you could purchase equipment or learning resources that students could use every year.
Expected outputs from your project:
A new taught module at UG or PGT level in which students learn about and practise public or community engagement as it relates to their subject/discipline.
If funding is used, a financial report on how it has been spent.
A case study for the WIE website which future applicants to the fund could learn from. Examples of webpages about existing modules can be found here. You might choose to present yours in a different way that suits you, for example by using videos or photos.
After the first running of your module, provide some additional reflections and examples for colleagues via our website.
Funding:
Up to £5,000. Applications for support without funding are also welcomed.
Application process
All applicants are required to either attend an information session or meet with a member of the team. This is to help you put together a strong application and understand what support is available during your project. If you can’t attend a session, please contact Helen at to arrange a short meeting instead. The date of the next information session will be advertised shortly.
Following this preparation, you will fill in two forms: one brief form to help us monitor our reach and keep in touch with you about WIE's work, and then a separate application form providing the review panel with the information they will need to make a decision about your project.
The next submission deadline will be published shortly; it is likely to be mid- to late April.
We aim to let you know the outcome of your application within three weeks, and make your budget available two weeks after that. Please read 'planning your project - timing and funding' below to help you plan a realistic timeline.
Application form
The application form is currently closed. It will be reopened in mid- to late March.
When you are ready to apply, start here. The first page asks for some contact and monitoring information; this will not be used to judge your application. The second page is the application form. While logged in, you will be able to save your progress on the form. If you require any help with accessing the application form or you notice a glitch, please contact Helen at .
Co-creation
This video about co-creation has been shared by colleagues in IATL to help you consider how to ground your project in co-creation with students. Students involved as co-creators should be paid at FA4 - see below FAQ for advice on Unitemps rates.
Planning your project – timing and funding
Please check processes and deadlines within your department for approval of module changes or creation. Please factor these into your planning and include them in the project timeline in your application.
Funding must be spent by 31st July as that is the end of the University’s financial year. We recognise that you may not receive final approval of your module changes or creation until 23-24, depending on the departmental and University deadlines you plan to work towards. This is fine, and we are happy to continue to provide advice after the end of the financial year, should you need it.
Attend an information session or arrange a meeting if you can't make it.
Check deadlines in your department for making changes to modules or creating new ones. (You can find a summary of the University process here and FAQs here.)
Get departmental support for your project idea and include this with your application.
When you are ready to apply, start here. The first page asks for some contact and monitoring information; this will not be used to judge your application. The second page is the application form. While logged in, you will be able to save your progress on the form. If you require any help with accessing the application form or you notice a glitch, please contact Helen at wie@warwick.ac.uk.
Your application will go to a review panel made up of students and staff.
You will be informed of the outcome of your application. We hope to get back to you within three weeks of the application deadline.
We advise that if your application is successful, you should set up positions for co-creator students with Unitemps as soon as possible, allowing time to advertise and recruit if applicable, and for Unitemps to complete the necessary checks before their employment starts.
Receive funds. Please allow two weeks for this due to institutional financial processes.
Carry out your project.
Let us know if you would like to be put in touch with colleagues who share an interest in teaching public or community engagement.
Finish spending your budget by 31st July 2023.
Submit your module changes or creation for approval through the relevant process in your department (and then the University, if applicable). Deadlines vary and you might choose to submit before or after 31st July.
Provide a financial report on how your budget was spent.
Create a resource that other staff can learn from, showing what you did for your project and giving practical tips.
Let us know once your module change or creation has been approved, and then we will publish your resource for colleagues on our website.
After the first running of your module, provide some additional reflections and examples for colleagues via our website.
Frequently asked questions
The next deadline will be confirmed shortly. it is likely to be in mid- to late April.
At the time of writing, the guidance is as follows:
For a module starting at the beginning of the academic year you have until the end of the Easter vacation to submit paperwork for approved modules. For courses starting at any other point in the academic year, the deadline is four months prior to the course start date.
If you are aware that you will be in breach of this deadline, there are only two reasons that extensions to the deadline will be agreed:
when modules are being proposed by new staff joining the University after the deadline; or
where modules have to be amended due to unforeseen changes in student numbers.
Please check this EPQ webpage for up-to-date information. We strongly advise that you check your department's process and timeline for approval of module changes or creation.
You can, but priority will be given to proposals which will introduce engagement into modules that do not yet include it, and to proposals for creating new modules.
You could include in your budget one-off costs to support effective working relationships with community partners. For example, to pay for refreshments for a meeting to discuss partners’ long-term involvement in a module or seek their input/advice on your ideas.
The fund is intended to have sustainable, long-term impact so it should not be used for costs that only benefit one running of a module. For example, it should not be used to support students to do an engagement activity this year that couldn’t be repeated without funding the following year. Instead, you could purchase equipment or learning resources that students could use every year.
The suggested rate is grade 4, spinal point 16. You should budget for the Unitemps bill rate, rather than the pay rate that co-creators will receive. (Bill rate is the co-creator's pay plus the Unitemps fee.) At the time of writing, the Unitemps bill rate for spinal point 16 is £17.26 per hour, or £18.12 per hour post AWR. Information on AWR can be found here: https://www.unitemps.com/resources/info-hub-old/awr-full-version/ Broadly, the post AWR rate is paid after 12 weeks of work.
If your application is successful, remember to re-check the bill rate directly with Unitemps when you are setting up the vacancies, in case the rate has changed. You can also confirm what the actual pay rate the co-creators will receive is, for when you are sharing the opportunity with students.
This fund is provided by Warwick Institute of Engagement (WIE) with support from colleagues in IATL and WIHEA as well as Fellows of WIE.
Your first point of contact prior to application and during the project will be Helen at , who will signpost you to colleagues for support with different aspects of your project, if needed.
Examples of modules involving public engagement are available on the WIE website. WIE also offers a mentoring scheme.
Pplease watch this video about co-creation, which has been provided by IATL. Please get in touch via if you have any further questions.
Yes, please upload evidence of this with your application form.
Head of Department approval is required for the primary contact and, if different, the department(s) where the module sits. In addition, approval is required from the Head of Department of any Warwick staff member whose time will be paid for with this funding. Please upload evidence of approval, as a document or an email which includes a statement of support for your project from the relevant Head(s) of Department and their signature (an email will be taken as electronic signature).
