University awarded Silver Engage Watermark
The University of Central Lancashire has received national recognition for its commitment to public engagement.
The Institution has been awarded the Silver Engage Watermark by the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) in recognition of its excellence in its support and practice of public engagement.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Graham Baldwin said: “We are delighted to be awarded the Engage Watermark and for our work in this area to be recognised on a national stage. Public engagement is a vital part of our role as a civic University and we look forward to further developing two-way engagement with our local communities over the coming years.”
UCLan’s public engagement work includes organising and hosting the award-winning Lancashire Science Festival, which attracts thousands of visitors every year, and running a wide variety of school, college and community events. Public engagement is also at the heart of the current £200 million Masterplan with the new civic square being created to join the city of Preston and the University together like never before.
"We are delighted to be able to award UCLan a Silver Engage Watermark. he University is lucky to have a well-respected central public engagement team, and the partners we spoke to talked passionately about UCLan investing in Preston."
— Paul Manners, Co-Director of the NCCPE
Winning a Silver Engage Watermark is a significant achievement, demonstrating a high level of institutional commitment and a robust plan for further improvements.
Paul Manners, Co-Director of the NCCPE, said: “Since the early days of the NCCPE we have been championing a culture in higher education where public engagement can thrive. The Engage Watermark offers a benchmarking opportunity for institutions to evidence their commitment and achievements – combined with intelligence gathering to inform their future planning.
“We are delighted to be able to award UCLan a Silver Engage Watermark. The review demonstrated a strong culture of public engagement with committed senior support for public engagement and appropriate resourcing. The University is lucky to have a well-respected central public engagement team, and the partners we spoke to talked passionately about UCLan investing in Preston. Academic staff had a nuanced and well-rounded understanding of what engagement can contribute to research. We hope the university will use this success to inspire others to follow their lead.”
A celebratory video has been created.