WIE Conference - 2025 Programme
Warwick Institute of Engagement Conference 2025: Ethical and Inclusive Engagement
Thursday 20 March, 9am-4:30pm - Ramphal
Please register to attend using the link below, even if you only want to come to some of the day. We don't ask you to choose breakout sessions in advance, you can choose these on the day.
At a glance programme:
Full programme
Select the different tabs to see further information about the range of sessions happening.
Pick up your name badge and join us for tea and coffee before we get started
Opening plenary - What is ethical engagement and engaging ethically? (R0.21)
Engagement is the key enabler in helping Universities to realise long-term change and build a better world with their communities and external partners. This plenary will look at some of the societal challenges that are being addressed and some of the issues in working with partners equitably and sensitively. The panel bring a range of experiences and views to discuss what it means to be an ethically and inclusively engaged university.
Panelists
Chair - Helen Wheatley, Academic Director of Warwick Institute of Engagement
Paul Manners, National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement
Inca Hide-Wright, Recent Graduate and Graduate Management Trainee, University of Warwick
Shahnaz Akhtar, Senior Policy and Engagement Officer, University of Warwick
Mel Smith, Deputy CEO Grapevine
More about the panel
Helen Wheatley
Helen is an experienced leader in public engagement and delivering research impact. As the Academic Director of WIE, as well as Professor of Film and Television Studies with extensive experience of engaging the public with and in her own research, Helen is committed to supporting and championing public engagement activities and research which are co-designed or co-produced with partners outside of the university. This approach recognises the valuable skills, experience and knowledge of the people we work with, both inside and outside the university.
Paul Manners
Paul Manners is Associate Professor in Public Engagement at UWE Bristol and founding director of the UK’s National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE). The NCCPE was established in 2008 to support universities to embed innovative approaches to involving the public in their work. The NCCPE is widely recognised for its expertise in supporting organisational change, partnership working, impact assessment and innovation in engagement.Paul trained as an English teacher before working at the BBC for 18 years, responsible for a number of broadcast-led public engagement campaigns.He was chair of the National Trust’s advisory group on Collections and Interpretation from 2007 to 2023.
Inca Hide-Wright
Inca is a recent MASc in Community, Engagement and Belonging graduate and current Warwick Graduate Management Trainee, working within WIHEA (Warwick International Higher Education Academy). Inca is co-lead of the WIHEA Building Belonging Learning Circle, which is focusing on testing and refining Warwick’s co-created Building Belonging Framework. Inca has experience of leading and collaborating on student experience, learning and teaching initiatives, working in partnership with the audience, listening and valuing each perspective, is fundamental in all of Inca’s work.
Shahnaz Akhtar
Shahnaz is a researcher at the University of Warwick and a Senior Policy and Engagement Officer at the university. She has a background in community focussed research and engagement projects and will reflect on her experiences of conducting ethical and inclusive research with Punjabi women in the region. Her collaborative research has uncovered hidden stories and histories including the scandal of 21 Indian women living in Coventry who had been fed chapatis baked with radioactive isotopes, apparently without their consent.
Mel Smith
Mel is from Coventry, she’s a Mum, Nanny, plant lover and wild swimmer. She swapped her childhood competitive swimming lifestyle of lane ropes and chlorine for the freedom to roam and swim in rivers, lakes and seas. Her relationship with nature and being outdoors is how she resets the dial.
Relationships matter to Mel in all aspects of her life, from the individual to working deep in communities and through to the boardroom - it all starts with being more human. As As Deputy CEO at Grapevine Coventry & Warwickshire, Mel leads their Shifting Power strand. Her days are dedicated to working alongside a passionate team of Community Organisers who aim to cultivate leadership that empowers local people and communities to become stronger, take action on issues that matter to them, and influence the systems in which they live.
Join us for light refreshments in the atrium
Choose your breakout session on the day
Inclusive and ethical practice in 'Transformations' - an English and Comparative Literary Studies outreach programme
Ellinor Hopkins - UG student, English and Comparative Literary Studies and Charlotte Pearce
In this spotlight session we’ll share insights into how students and staff in English and Comparative Literary Studies (ECLS) have worked together to place inclusive and ethical practice at the heart of developments and changes to our 'Transformations' outreach project.
From Classroom to Classroom: Turning Undergraduate Coursework into A-Level Learning Tools
Sam Trouton - Assistant Professor in Chemistry
Creating engaging educational content requires more than just subject knowledge—it demands teamwork, communication, and creativity. This talk explores an undergraduate chemistry module where students collaborate to produce short educational videos on inorganic chemistry, pitched towards A-level audiences.
Ellie King - Public Engagement Evaluation Specialist
A practical guide for evaluating and evidencing the impact of your public engagement activities. This how-to session will give you everything you need for planning evaluation, asking the right questions, and finding the right answers. Perfect for colleagues with engagement activities in mind, this session will give you the tools you need to conduct evaluation that's right for you.
Facilitated by the WIE Team
Come along to the Engagement Ideas Cafe for a chat with a range of colleagues excited to tell you about their public engagement work. We'll be starting off with a very brief introduction to what our different speakers have been doing, before splitting out onto tables for a more informal conversation about their work, guided by the questions from those in the room. We'll encourage the audience to move round several times, giving you a chance to join in a few different conversations. This is a great opportunity to hear about a range of people's work, in an informal and interactive way.
Our speakers include
Tara Morton - Department of History - Mapping Women's Suffrage,
Eric Holub - School of Life Sciences - Planting Roots
Riya Sharma - Department of Physics Spin Out - Candella VR
Bo Kelestyn - Warwick Business School, Lesson in a Box
Sioda Adams - Freelance Creative - Earth Bound
Anil Awesti, Associate Professor - Centre for Lifelong Learning and Abimbola Ayorinde, Associate Professor - Warwick Medical School
The underrepresentation of minority ethnic groups in research is a recognised issue due to factors like mistrust, historical mistreatment, language barriers, and issues with accessibility. These challenges result in research findings that often lack relevance and applicability to these communities. As part of our effort to address this, we have formed the 'West Midlands Knowledge Partnership for Race Equity'. We established a robust network of organisations serving people from minority ethnic groups, service providers, policy makers and researchers, facilitating collaboration and knowledge sharing. Through workshops with community partners, we explored their perceptions of research, the importance of their involvement, their experiences and barriers to participation. We also discussed strategies to encourage engagement, ways to make research more appealing, and how communities define meaningful impact. We created a video highlighting the importance of research participation, featuring diverse voices, to promote equitable research involvement and collaboration. The video is available in six languages: English, Bengali, Chinese, French, Hindi, Urdu, promoting inclusivity. In this workshop, we will present our findings and invite participants to contribute their insights on addressing the identified challenges and operationalising community-driven suggestions for inclusive research practices.
This 50 minute session will repeat 3 times over the day to give as many people a chance to attend as possible
Sarah Cosgriff
How can we be more inclusive when engaging our audiences and which audiences could we be unintentionally excluding? This session will explore these questions and take you through strategies to help you embed equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) into your public engagement practice.
About Sarah
Sarah Cosgriff (she/they) has worked in science communication and STEM education for over a decade. Sarah is an experienced trainer specialising in EDI in engagement, in particular working with young audiences. You will also find her on stage presenting science shows and coordinating STEM for Queer Youth, a science engagement project based at a LGBTQ+ youth group in Swindon. Sarah’s work in EDI was recognised by the National Diversity Awards in 2022 when they were shortlisted for the Positive Role Model Award – LGBT award.
Yanyan Li, Applied Linguistics and Zhitong Chen, Coventry Museums
This workshop invites you to explore creative methods for representing and communicating academic research to non-academic audiences. Drawing on insights from a successful ESRC-funded public engagement event held as part of the 2024 Festival of Social Sciences, the session highlights the potential of creative approaches, such as poetry, to distil complex ideas and foster meaningful connections between researchers and the public. Through interactive activities including mind mapping, demonstrations, and reflective discussions, you will critically evaluate the value of creative practices in public engagement, and create strategies for how you can embed these strategies into your own practice.
Yanyan is a final-year PhD candidate in Applied Linguistics with a strong commitment to public engagement. She has led multiple initiatives and events in Coventry, focusing on how social sciences research can be more effectively communicated to the public. Her passion lies in exploring ways to bridge the gap between academia and society to enhance research impact. Check out her profileLink opens in a new window to learn more about her work.
Zhitong Chen is a Learning Assistant at Coventry Museums. Having recently completed an MA in Drama Education and English Language Teaching at Warwick, she is passionate about using drama techniques and playful approaches to enhance museum education and design engaging, customised workshops for public engagement.
Members of the WIE Team
Join the team for a whistle stop tour of the different programmes WIE run including our funds and awards, Resonate, Membership and Fellowship, Learning Circles, Training and more! If you want to know more about what we do and how to work with us this is the session for you. We'll also talk through our working definition of Public Engagement, and some of the reasons we're so passionate about it.
Lily Crowther and Giovanni Vinti, Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum
This session will introduce four different ways for academics to engage with audiences via museums:
- In-person events, including public talks, drop-in sessions, workshops and study days
- Exhibitions and small displays
- Print and publications, including trails, schools resources, and zines
- Contributing to the collections, including objects and oral histories
Drawing on examples from Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum, there will be opportunities to get hands-on with objects from the collection and to see your research from new angles.
Yurong Tian, Energy and Sustainability Team
Join the Energy and Sustainability Team to discover how to engage in a more sustainable way. Learn practical tips to reduce the carbon emissions of your events and effectively engage your audience on sustainability-related topics.
Jo Kukuczka, Programme Lead for the Postgraduate Award in Curriculum Development in Higher Education
Our refreshed Warwick Education and Student Experience Strategy captures our 2030 vision in one powerful sentence stating that 'A Warwick education develops the agency, talent, and commitment of our student and staff communities to strive for a better world.' But how can this vision be lifted off the page and into the real world? And how can we ensure that all we do at Warwick takes us and our students on the journey towards this goal?
Curriculum design can be one way of achieving this, and this workshop will show you how, by sharing recent research on Curriculum for Change framework (Kukuczka, 2024), its impact on students' development as critical global citizens, and the 'secret ingredient' behind its effectiveness. This will be followed by a collaborative sandpit where we will generate ideas on how the framework could be adapted to suit your students' and your disciplinary needs best. Finally, the workshop will conclude with an intention-setting exercise where you will be invited to decide on one thing you will take-away from the session and into your curriculum.
This 50 minute session will repeat 3 times over the day to give as many people a chance to attend as possible
Sarah Cosgriff
How can we be more inclusive when engaging our audiences and which audiences could we be unintentionally excluding? This session will explore these questions and take you through strategies to help you embed equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) into your public engagement practice.
About Sarah
Sarah Cosgriff (she/they) has worked in science communication and STEM education for over a decade. Sarah is an experienced trainer specialising in EDI in engagement, in particular working with young audiences. You will also find her on stage presenting science shows and coordinating STEM for Queer Youth, a science engagement project based at a LGBTQ+ youth group in Swindon. Sarah’s work in EDI was recognised by the National Diversity Awards in 2022 when they were shortlisted for the Positive Role Model Award – LGBT award.
This 50 minute session will repeat twice over the day to give as many people a chance to attend as possible
Kerry Baker, Associate Director WIE
If you're keen to run hands on engagement activities this is the workshop for you. We'll be exploring the three stages of engagement, how to keep things manageable for yourself, and how to make sure you have a fun and engaging activity that helps your audience learn something new.
Lunch will be served in the atrium as a buffet. Seating will be available in the seminar rooms for those who prefer to sit down to eat. Please let us know about any dietary requirements whilst registering for the conference.
Policy and research engagement in UK higher education
Georgiana Mihut, Rebecca Morris, Tom Perry, and Emma Smith - Education Studies
The session presents findings from a recent study in which we interviewed 11 UK higher education policymakers and experts on UK higher education. We asked interviewees 'how can researchers engage with the policy process in the UK context?'
With relevance across fields of expertise, the we will discuss the role of independent research, often developed by university researchers, in shaping policy. The session will also discuss barriers to engagement, research generation and use, and the role of independent research in the broader policy evidence landscape. We will also suggest possible pathways for more productive engagement between researchers and policymakers. We'll also be collecting your views, aiming to be the foundations of a fruitful conversation on policy-research engagement.
The Role of Experts-by-Experience in Research
Katie Crompton, Education Studies
There is growing recognition of the potential value of involving experts-by-experience in research. Experts-by-experience can be defined as members of the public with lived experience of a particular research or policy area. By drawing together available evidence, guides and toolkits about the potential and optimal role of experts-by-experience, this session will aim to answer the following question: What does evidence tell us about when and how researchers can best draw on expertise-by-experience to inform and shape their work? Drawing on findings from a scoping review, this session will highlight six key rationales for involving experts-by-experience in the co-production of research. It will go on to consider the different approaches to involving experts-by-experience in research, and the barriers and enablers of such approaches.
Facilitated by the CoventrTRY CollaborACTION team, representatives of the Disability Network at University of Warwick and external collaborators from Coventry City Council
🚀 From the British Science Festival to Coventry: Join Us for an Interactive Session on Systemic Change & Social Impact! Following our session at the British Science Festival Annual Conference, we’re bringing the conversation home to Coventry!
Join the teams behind CovenTRY CollaborACTION and Drop the Mask—two bold, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary projects using systemic design, creativity, and collaboration to create meaningful change.
We work with—not just for—local communities, policymakers, third-sector organizations, and creatives, using participatory and co-creative methods to tackle complex challenges.
Expect a fun, interactive, and engaging session where we explore how engagement runs throughout the impact journey—driving change, shaping policy, and amplifying voices. Like a pebble in the pool, every interaction creates ripples that lead to transformation.
Come for the insights, stay for the collaboration, and leave with fresh ideas on innovation, creativity, engagement, changemaking, and research impact.
Members of the WIE Team
Join the team for a whistle stop tour of the different programmes WIE run including our funds and awards, Resonate, Membership and Fellowship, Learning Circles, Training and more! If you want to know more about what we do and how to work with us this is the session for you. We'll also talk through our working definition of Public Engagement, and some of the reasons we're so passionate about it.
Facilitated by the WIE Evaluation Learning Circle, including Vishalakshi Roy, an expert in evaluating public engagement
In this workshop we will discuss the ethical implications of undertaking evaluation of public engagement activities and their dissemination to the public. Through round table discussions we will unearth ethics related practice and issues related to participants, methods and reporting of evaluation work in this context
This 50 minute session will repeat 3 times over the day to give as many people a chance to attend as possible
Sarah Cosgriff
How can we be more inclusive when engaging our audiences and which audiences could we be unintentionally excluding? This session will explore these questions and take you through strategies to help you embed equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) into your public engagement practice.
About Sarah
Sarah Cosgriff (she/they) has worked in science communication and STEM education for over a decade. Sarah is an experienced trainer specialising in EDI in engagement, in particular working with young audiences. You will also find her on stage presenting science shows and coordinating STEM for Queer Youth, a science engagement project based at a LGBTQ+ youth group in Swindon. Sarah’s work in EDI was recognised by the National Diversity Awards in 2022 when they were shortlisted for the Positive Role Model Award – LGBT award.
This 50 minute session will repeat twice over the day to give as many people a chance to attend as possible
Kerry Baker, Associate Director WIE
If you're keen to run hands on engagement activities this is the workshop for you. We'll be exploring the three stages of engagement, how to keep things manageable for yourself, and how to make sure you have a fun and engaging activity that helps your audience learn something new.
Facilitated by the WIE/WIHEA Pedagogies of Public and Community Engagement Learning Circle
This roundtable discussion, led by members of the WIE/WIHEA Pedagogies of Public and Community Engagement Learning Circle, will explore principles and strategies for embedding public and community engagement in teaching at Warwick. The session aims to facilitate conversations on how to promote these pedagogies within the university teaching and learning community, while also reflecting on the challenges of integrating it into different disciplinary and interdisciplinary contexts.
All participants are encouraged to join the discussion. Learning Circle members who integrate public and community engagement into their pedagogy and teaching practice will share insights and examples. The session will also serve as a space to connect with others interested in developing a forum around public and community engagement in teaching.
Facilitated by the WIE Team
Join this session for an exploration of projects funded through the WIE Collaboration and Co-Production Fund. We'll be sharing some of our Collaboration and Co-Production Fund films and hearing from previous awardees about their projects.
Constellations of Home and Co-created Song Writers
Nadine Holdsworth (Theatre & Performance)
Nadine co-devised two projects funded by this scheme.
In the first, Nadine worked with Ben Davenport, an arts worker with Crisis Skylight Coventry, the socially engaged artist Anthony Luvera, Jennifer Verson and the Agency Photography Group to co-create a photographic exhibition with people who have experienced homelessness.
Through a series of workshops and the co-curation of an exhibition that took place on the University campus, this project explored what it meant to action the principles and practice of co-production and cultures of inclusion. It tested the ways in which organizations and community groups could work together to enhance understandings of homelessness, as well as developing skills and positive outcomes for people who have experienced homelessness.
Her second project involves a collaboration with Underground Lights, a Coventry-based community theatre company working with adults experiencing homelessness, mental health distress and social isolation. With a focus on co-created song writing, members will explore songs that are meaningful to them, the themes they want to address in their songs; lyric writing, arrangement, use of instruments and recording techniques.
During this project Nadine and her collaborator Beth Fiducia Brookes will document the significance and impact of the trauma-informed, participatory, inclusive and co-created methodologies central to the work Underground Lights undertakes. The project will culminate in a co-created exhibition on Warwick’s campus that captures the processes and outcomes of the creative workshop phase.
Youth Engagement and Empowerment Initiative (YEEI): Mentoring Future Community Leaders through 21st Century Skills
Freeha Azmat and Asima Iqbal (WMG) & Naima Qureshi (University of Education)
This initiative, launched by the Academic Leaders Innovation Forum (ALIF) and the Youth Support Programme (YSP) team at the University of Warwick, aims to empower unemployed youth in rural Punjab. It provides training in digital literacy, transferable skills, critical thinking, and global citizenship to help young people overcome barriers to education and employment.
Following the success of YSP Cycle 1—featured on Pakistan’s national television and attracting 517 applicants despite targeting only 25 students—the current iteration of their project seeks to expand its reach and meet the growing demand for skills training in underserved communities.
By combining ALIF’s community outreach expertise with YSP’s proven curriculum, the program delivers essential employability skills while fostering long-term community development. A mentor-mentee model ensures sustainability, with Cycle 1 graduates guiding new participants to reinforce learning and leadership.
Engagement with Warwickshire Young Carers
Michael Wyness (Education Studies) , Fiona MacCallum (Psychology) & Warwickshire Young Carers
Michael and Fiona worked with Warwickshire Young Carers in developing research on young carers and education within the context of Covid-19 and beyond. The work was inter-disciplinary involving a sociologist of education, a psychologist and widening participation officer as well as an anthropologist from Coventry university. They built a relationship between the academics, and a small group of young people from Warwickshire young carers. In fostering a more collaborative research focus and approach, they engaged with the young carers through regular meetings.
Facilitated by the International Engagement Learning Circle.
This session is a valuable part of our Global research project, carried out by the International Engagement Learning Circle. The session will explore insights gathered from our research on our partner institutions across Europe, America, and Australia, focusing on their approaches to public engagement. We’ll discuss emerging themes, best practices, and key takeaways for enhancing international collaboration on public engagement in higher education. This session is ideal for those with experience working with partner universities globally, offering a valuable opportunity to share knowledge and learn from diverse international perspectives on public engagement, and for people who are interested in working with international partners.
Facilitated by the Inclusive Engagement Learning Circle
The Inclusive Engagement Learning Circle has been developing an online toolkit which will take event organisers of all levels through the process of planning an inclusive event of any kind. The kit comprises as series of questions to ask oneself as well as acting as a central repository for different resources which may be useful regarding specific elements of inclusion.
This session will be a focus group where we are looking for your input on possible content and resources that you know of which would enrich the toolkit, as well as identifying any areas which require further development or thought.
Join us in the atrium for some interactive stands showcasing public engagement activity from across Warwick, some brief reflections on the day - and of course some refreshments
Thanks for joining us!
Please be aware we're still finalising workshops so sessions might move around - check back here for updates.
Access Information
If you have particular access needs not addressed here feel free to email us directly to discuss these.
- The conference is mostly taking place on the ground or first floor. We have a quiet room available on the second floor. There is lift access to all floors. We have confirmed there is no scheduled lift maintenance happening during the conference.
- The main toilets for the conference are on the first floor. These include gendered bathrooms with multiple stalls in each, as well as two accessible toilets. If you would prefer a non gender specific bathroom then the accessible toilets on the second and third floor of Ramphal are routinely used by people of any gender. You will also find an additional women's bathroom on the second floor and an additional men's bathroom on the third floor - all directly opposite the lifts.
- We have asked all those speaking in the main lecture theatre to use a microphone to ensure everyone will be able to hear. In seminar rooms this is not available by default (due to the tech available in the rooms), however please let us know if there are accommodations you require and we'll be happy to organise this for you.
- If you require a quiet space to take a moment out from the conference then R2.38 on the second floor is available for this purpose. We do want to ensure this space is kept free for those who need it, so if you need a quiet space to work or to join a meeting briefly during the day then we'd recommend the communal work areas on the first floor.
- The day is scheduled to have regular breaks throughout, but if you need to take a break at a different time please feel able to leave sessions as suits your needs. In the main lecture theatre there is an additional entry/ exit at the back of the hall which comes out on the first floor.
- If you would benefit from the lighting being lowered in the sessions you visit please speak the the registration desk on the day and let us know which sessions you're hoping to attend. You are also welcome to ask the session facilitator directly when you enter the session if you feel more comfortable doing that.
- We have asked Warwick Conferences to provide a variety of options for lunch to include halal, vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options. Where we have had very specific dietary requests due to allergies these have been passed to Warwick Conferences who will be providing a specific meal for you which should be labelled.