Foreword
Welcome to the University Â鶹¾«Ñ¡â€™s new Public and Cultural Engagement Strategy. This isn’t just a document – it’s an invitation and a call to action to connect, engage, and innovate with us.
As we enter our 125th year we have been reflecting on our history, which is rooted in a civic mission to drive social and economic value and progress. Today, that mission is more important than ever. In an era of rapid technological and societal change, our university has a vital role to play in addressing the social, economic and environmental challenges we face – here in Birmingham, across the country and as a global community.
To continue to make a real impact, we know we can do more to bridge the gap between academia and the outside world. Too often, universities are portrayed as disconnected or elitist. Our new strategy aims to help shift that narrative by actively connecting with our communities through socially engaged education, research and co-production models. We believe our work should not only be guided by the needs and insights of our communities but that we should also share the benefits equitably with them.
Our new strategy aligns and embeds public and cultural engagement into the core of our university’s work and purpose. By empowering and enabling every member of the university community to take the initiative and connect with the world, we aim to create a vibrant, collaborative environment that drives innovation and positive change from the inside out and the outside in.
Imagine a university where every discovery and piece of research is directly connected to the world, where socially engaged education, research and co-production models ensure the benefits are shared equitably, and where our cultural partnerships inspire and transform lives. This is the University Â鶹¾«Ñ¡ we aspire to be: dynamic, inclusive, and thoroughly plugged in.