Note You are currently viewing a previous version of this narrative statement as published in previous iterations of the KEF (KEF1 and KEF2). View the latest version
Institutional Context
Summary
Created for the community, Lincoln is an innovative, young institution that was named Modern University of the Year1 in 2021. We work across all dimensions of civic life supporting local skills needs, industrial partnerships for economic growth, the health sector for well-being, the third sector for vulnerable groups, neighbourhood groups to raise local voices and the cultural & leisure sector.
Our location in a rural and deprived region, shapes the University’s approach with a focus on rural societies. We follow a ‘local to global’ principle of prioritising research and knowledge exchange that is of relevance to our place and has global significance, driving economic development and enhancing social and cultural life both within and beyond our immediate community.
1 The Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021
Institutional context
In a rapidly changing environment Lincoln is a dynamic institution driven by challenging sector norms. Since becoming the University of Lincoln in 2001, progress has been dramatic and driven by industrial (public, private, third sector) partnership. An ever-growing culture of enterprise and knowledge exchange (KE), with a recognition of the need for innovation to sustain this progress runs through the heart of the University – from our vision to our staff, students and a dynamic, fluid and collaborative approach to civic engagement.
Our Strategic Plan articulates our ambition to be a global thought leader for higher education, addressing the opportunities and challenges presented by the changing world, developing a permeable approach to education and KE.
We have grown from 2,000 students to just over 14,500, on a regenerated derelict railway site in the heart of the City. We are the 5th largest revenue generator in the City and one of the largest organisations in Greater Lincolnshire. Based on income growth in the last decade we are the 5th fastest growing university in the UK, and given the size of the regional economy, impact is proportionately higher than many larger universities (1 in every 6 working age residents in the city being either a student, direct employee or their job indirectly linked to the University). Growth has been shaped by, and has in turn shaped, our communities across: skills (e.g. a five-school Academy Trust, University Technical College and Institute of Technology), economy, health (e.g. establishing a Medical School), third sector, neighbourhood groups and culture & leisure (e.g. International Bomber Command Centre).
Located in England’s second-largest county, our thematic approach to KE reflects our proximity to rural communities and their opportunities, including: agri-technology, health, ageing, poverty, family life, economy, history and cultures, arts and environmental change. A founding partner of the Greater Lincolnshire LEP, the development and delivery of the Local Industrial Strategy has been a symbiotic process.
Through our KE activities we engage with the breadth of the industrial base, our activities are shaped from the multi-national through to micro-SME, working collaboratively to accelerate growth and productivity. We work with these communities to understand their absorptive capacity and how we can best tailor our efforts to address their challenges. We will continue to innovate within our knowledge exchange operations, reviewing and sharing the new practice we generate.
Our permeable university manifesto identifies ‘a complex set of wicked problems which need to be urgently addressed’. We seek out opportunities to experiment, innovate and challenge current practice in all aspects of KE including teaching (employer led co-development of new Schools of Chemistry and Mathematics) and research (e.g. our recognition by Siemens as one of 16 Global Principle Partners). We have created an innovation campus (in a unique partnership with the Lincolnshire Co-operative) further building on our role as an active anchor institution. From our regional strengths, we are developing a strong national and international presence with our staff, students and graduates making a real difference to the lives of people all over the globe.
For further information, please send queries to RIPT@lincoln.ac.uk
Local Growth and Regeneration
Summary of approach
The University’s focus for local growth is the LEP area of Greater Lincolnshire, with significant permeability into adjacent areas. However, our sense of place is beyond the geographic and is a complex set of intersecting elements: education, health, economy, voluntary & charity activity, neighbourhood & community life and the cultural & leisure sector, which we align our knowledge exchange activity around.
Our approach, as the first new civic university in >80 years, is to follow a ‘local to global’ principle of prioritising research and knowledge exchange (arts, humanities, social sciences, health, science and engineering) that addresses the challenges of our communities and has global significance, driving economic development and enhancing social and cultural life both within and beyond our region.
Aspect 1: Strategy
The University became the University of Lincoln in 2001 and was developed on a derelict railway site in the heart of the city. We are a 21st century institution, the first in 80 years to be established exactly like the original civics. We were funded entirely by local & regional government and businesses who were determined to have a university to boost economic growth in a dying industrial town and hinterland.
The University has grown from 2,000 students to >14,500 across the full range of disciplines; arts, humanities, social sciences, health, science and engineering. In 2019 we established a Medical School, which was our 7th new STEM school in 9 years (all co-designed and co-delivered with industry). We have three campuses across the region – the main campus in the city of Lincoln and two other campuses in rural locations (serving the needs of the farming community and the global food industry). Engaging with our regional industrial partners has been essential to our rapid growth and recent accolades as the Times/Sunday Times ‘Modern University of the Year’ in 2021, and Top-150 in the THE ‘Young University World Rankings’ reflect this.
Our core region is the LEP area of Greater Lincolnshire, but with permeability into the Humber LEP (relating particularly to agri-food and low carbon), Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority and Anglia LEP (agri-food) and the D2N2 LEP (advanced manufacturing, logistics and agri-food). Working through the Midlands Enterprise Universities we align to the Midlands Engine, in addition to scaling our activity and impact to national and global communities. Our sense of place though is beyond the geographic and is a complex set of intersecting elements: education, health, economy, voluntary & charity activity, neighbourhood & community life and the cultural & leisure sector, which we align our KE activity around.
Greater Lincolnshire faces significant challenges in comparison to other regions. These drive our approach to KE and include:
A significant need (GLLEP ‘Area Review of Skills Needs’) for jobs that require qualifications at levels four - six. The LEP population is less qualified and less prepared for the jobs that are forecast: 27% have no qualifications (23% nationally) and only 20% are qualified to Level 4 or above (27%)
Limited levels of innovation and investment (0.2% of GVA against the UK target of 2.4% and only 21% of the East Midlands & 18% of UK average investment levels) alongside a heavy concentration of activity around the City
GLLEP is 30/38 LEP’s on GVA (Growth since 2010 has been 16%, nationally 23%) and is ranked 33/38 in terms of productivity
Only 5 Arts Council National Portfolio Organisations serving a population of 1,087,659. GLLEP creative industries employment of 2.4%, compared to a national average of 6%
Our partnerships approach with our regional, national and international communities is outlined in our strategic plan ’Thinking Ahead’ and our mission as ‘A University looking to the future where we serve and develop our local, national and international communities by creating purposeful knowledge and research, confident and creative graduates and a dynamic and engaged staff team’. Our recent publications ‘The New Civic University’ and our approach as a 21st Century permeable University reinforce the key role we have aligned to the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership’s (GLLEP) Local Industrial Strategy (LIS) and Strategic Economic Plan (SEP). The challenges that we focus on within our region, have wider significance bringing the world to Greater Lincolnshire and Greater Lincolnshire to the world.
Our Social Mobility Pledge Impact report highlights our whole ecosystem approach, bringing more schools into our Lincolnshire Educational Trust, leading the development of a Food Enterprise Zone and establishing the Lincolnshire Institute of Technology. Our involvement in an assessment of international ranking of civic engagement identified our commitment to engagement was clearly embedded.
The University provides critical strategic economic, social and cultural leadership to our region. We are founding members of the GLLEP and the former Vice Chancellor was a founding director, also chairing the Growth Hub and Innovation Council on their behalf. We established the Innovation Council to drive forward ambition in our region, increasing growth and productivity, by bringing together innovators, SMEs, corporates and academic colleagues to drive the GLLEPs innovation policy development and delivery. We part second our Director of Policy to the GLLEP, ensuring an integrated strategic approach (including co-authoring the SEP and LIS) and provide senior leadership across many regional groups (e.g. the Lincoln Cultural Arts Partnership and 7 Towns’ Fund Boards).
We align HEIF investment alongside other funds (e.g. QR, core, EU and Single Local Growth Deal) to drive impact, leverage and wider opportunities for combined delivery. We use the concept of GLLEP as a ‘living laboratory’ that allows us to provide a powerful offer beyond our region, but that is firmly locally grounded and valued. For example, GLLEP has more grade one agricultural land than any other LEP in England and produces over 12% of the UK’s food supply (including more than 70% of its seafood and 25% of its vegetables), employing around 75,000 people. We have major multi-national food processors based here, including Moy Park, 2 Sisters, Walkers and Bakkavor. The combination of this primary production and manufacturing base, linked to our academic expertise allows us to address local and global food security.
Aspect 2: Activity
Our industry-led colleagues are passionate about solving real-life problems, placing our communities’ needs at the center, co-developing and delivering tailored solutions. External stakeholders are critical and include: Growth Hub, neighbourhood groups, FSB, Chamber of Commerce, Local Authorities and more. Engagement is to ensure our activities do not overlap, but also driving effective cross-promotion of services as one community.
Examples include:
Driving the cultural sector through the biennial, 10-day, Frequency Festival, alongside Lincolnshire One Venues, Transported and Lincoln Voices programmes that anchor our creative KE activity in the region. This is underpinned by our Centre for Culture & Creativity providing a pivotal role and leadership.
Critical support for Greater Lincolnshire SMEs was/is delivered through our flagship ESIF funded Innovation Programme (2016-19) and Productivity Programme for Greater Lincolnshire (2019-2023). These programmes (>£6M of support) have delivered a comprehensive range of interventions enabling access to equipment and specialist support; technical expertise; tailored workforce skills development; seed financing to exploit and bring new products, processes and services to market. There are 45,315 SME’s in GLLEP with innovation recognised as vital for growth, and not just around advances in science and technology, with projects delivered across the cultural and social care sectors.
Our nationally recognised incubation and innovation centres, Sparkhouse and the Think Tank have grown significantly in impact over the last three years, including the highly successful ‘Growing Graduate Enterprise Programme’ driving start-up levels and growth.
A wide range of capital and revenue structural funded projects, including: the Agri-Food Innovation Platform, the Centre of Food Excellence, the Advanced Engineering R&D centre, GLLEP Productivity Hubs and the Centre for Innovation in Rural Health.
The University was instrumental in the creation of the International Bomber Command Centre and devised a new research-based approach to the management of difficult cultural heritage, highlighting inclusivity of volunteers and cultural sensitivity.
A collaboration with Barclays to launch the first agri-focussed ‘Eagle Lab’, located on campus and driving innovative new start businesses.
The University’s Academy Trust comprising five schools: a specialist school for children with autism, two primary schools and two secondary schools. In partnership with the engineering company Siemens and a local FE college we have created the University Technical College and lead the Lincolnshire Institute of Technology (uniting FE and HE provision across the region, engaged and driven by employer needs).
Established in 2012, our science & innovation park, created in partnership with the Lincolnshire Co-operative has grown significantly over the last three years. Adjacent to the main Lincoln campus, it provides critical space for our partners to co-locate and has developed embryonic clusters of activity around agri-tech, defence & security and life sciences.
COVID-19 has affected all of communities and we have adapted our support whether organisations are looking to invest in product and staff development or simply needed advice on how to fund and sustain their organisation. This include hosting a number of webinars through the Productivity Programme to share advice on how to prepare for the months ahead and the challenges businesses may face during this time. Each Coronavirus Crisis webinar session is in full on our YouTube channel. We are playing our part in the fight against Coronavirus (producing much-needed safety equipment for our local medical professionals) and will continue to support new and existing partners in whatever way we can.
Aspect 3: Results
Examples include:
The biennial Frequency Digital Culture Festival engaged 40,000 attendees across 2017 & 2019. Programmes through Lincoln One Venues and Transported engaged >34,000 participants (2018 to 2020). The majority of audiences and participants were from the most disadvantaged groups and communities.
Greater Lincolnshire Innovation Programme has supported 507 businesses, with 45 introducing new to market products. The evidence (independent evaluation) indicated that the programme was well-received and was successful in promoting innovation as a key driver of economic growth. All those in receipt of support could point towards specific developments or learning in relation to new products, processes and services that would not have otherwise been made. The project fulfilled a key regional function becoming “embedded” as the only support activity specifically addressing innovation amongst Lincolnshire SMEs. Key follow-on outcomes of the programme included: Plum Products Ltd and Floor & Wall Ltd securing Innovate UK KTP programmes and North Lincs Engineering receiving a BEIS Grant (£246k). We have secured further funding (as the Productivity Programme) and since launch in September 2019, we have already supported 412 businesses.
Through our business start-up and growth support, 181 businesses were established over a 3 year period, with 124 graduate starts and 99 businesses co-located on campus. We have developed and delivered an innovation suite of accelerator programmes.
International Bomber Command Centre. In addition to the creation of the Centre, a direct outcome of our research is the permanent exhibition we designed within it. Our approach has changed professional approaches to handling this sensitive heritage in museums internationally. The Digital Archive went live in September 2018. So far, >10,000 items have been published and it has attracted over 35,043 users with more than 181,134 unique page views.
The Lincoln Institute for Agri-Food Technology has enhanced productivity, efficiency, and sustainability in food and farming through research, education, and technology. LIAT has the UK’s first dedicated Professor in Agri-Robotics and engages world-leading specialisms in agriculture, artificial intelligence, robotics, ecology, hydrology, animal welfare, biology, genetics, food manufacturing, mechanical engineering, microbial resistance, new product development, supply chain management, and economics. LIAT also utilises facilities at the University’s National Centre for Food Manufacturing campus. Over the last 3 years LIAT has leveraged >£10M external income, engaged with >100 businesses and is actively supporting 29 high quality relationships through funded collaborative research projects.
Rural Enterprise. Lincolnshire has one of the lowest levels of GDP in England, suffering from investment and infrastructure challenges. Rural economy research at Lincoln deepened understanding of sector needs and informed local, regional and national policy on rural enterprise support, rural economic development and rural connectivity. Impacts include informing the development and implementation of strategic interventions (including redesign of LEADER funding delivery) and strengthening the work of Local Action Groups to design post-Brexit rural policy. During Covid-19 these activities have extended to a secondment to the DEFRA academic advisory panel and providing evidence for Select Committees.
Lincoln Science & Innovation Park (LSIP). LSIP has grown to £1.5M turnover, raising £32M of capital funding which has allowed it to build and acquire more than 13,500m 2 of commercial space. The completion of the Boole Technology Centre 5 years ago (now 100% occupied) has supported tenants to raise >£15M of external finance. Tenants include: Metis Aerospace (initially a micro business, now the vendor of choice for protecting commercial and military airstrips from drone incursion) and B-Hive (an R&D spin-off, who have grown their team from 3 to >30 in four years).
For further information, please send queries to smaloney@lincoln.ac.uk
Public & Community Engagement
Summary of approach
As a signatory of the Manifesto for Public Engagement, we constantly seek to maximise the value of our activities to society. We actively encourage all our Colleges (which range across all disciplinary areas) to engage with stakeholders regionally, national and internationally to ensure wider publics have access to and opportunities to share all aspects of our research outcomes, engaging in its co-creation, co-development and co-delivery.
As a civic university, conducting publicly engaged research and knowledge exchange is core to our mission, engaging wider publics in order to increase the positive impact of our research beyond academia through wide ranging engagements, including: training & development, grant funded work, co-delivery & participation in research, lectures, debates, consultations, festivals, exhibitions, conferences and wider networking.
Aspect 1: Strategy
Our Strategy for Public Engagement with Research outlines 5 key principles delivered through 20 activities and 50 measurable outputs (fig p3). Development was informed by evidence gathered using the NCCPE EDGE tool in 2017 and consultation with external stakeholders, staff, students, public and community voices. Our PER strategy aligns to our Strategy for Civic and Regional Engagement, Strategic Plan 2016-21 and our Civic Agreement with the City Council and neighbouring Bishop Grosseteste University illustrating our commitment to working in partnership with our communities. These agreements were informed by public consultations including a Citizens’ Panel Survey (2019), the GLLEP’s Industrial Strategy survey (2019) and City of Lincoln Council’s Vision2025 strategy development (2019). Development of the 2019 Civic University Agreement identified five priority themes: education/skills/aspiration; economic growth; health; housing/social cohesion; climate emergency, with public engagement particularly important for education/skills/aspirations. Priority groups include the Sincil Bank district of Lincoln, rural communities, older people.
Since 2017 support/governance of public engagement is through PEARL, established with UKRI funding to develop PER at Lincoln. Senior support is led by the Vice Chancellor with PER integral to the work of Deputy Vice Chancellors and a Professor of PER. PER is actively encouraged by Heads of Colleges/Schools; including: ‘Summer Scientist’, ‘Philosophy Café’, ‘Festival of Creativity’ and ‘Science Week’ all aligned with impact champions. Engagement has been facilitated by our former Vice Chancellor’s strategic guidance as commissioner of the Civic University Commission and advisory board member for the Civic University Network.
We identify general public needs through regular consultations including a 2018-19 PEARL survey exploring people’s aims (fig2) for engagement and preferred subjects/types of activity (figs1&3).
Subject-specific surveys into popular subjects included a 2016 survey of public engagement with heritage exploring public aspirations and motivations for engagement, preferred activity type and subjects (Figs4,5&6).
Our Centre for Culture and Creativity supports publicly engaged cultural 
activities in our regional, national and international communities, catalysing innovative approaches underpinned by our world-class research with impact on places, people, policy and practice. Our publics are actively engaged in our research through our cross-disciplinary ‘Communities’ theme and outreach actives e.g. Maths engagement, English reading groups, migration initiatives. This is supported by our ‘Great Lives’ lecture series with stakeholders benefiting from high profile guest lectures.
Specific community groups contact PEARL/individual researchers, or are identified through university research, often collaborating with other organisations. Groups and their needs are identified and assessed on a case-by-case basis (fig7).
We facilitate engagement by offering preferred activity types (eg new website and Being Human/Pint of Science including face-to-face and online activities); locating activities in the places where people go (eg Groundlab in Sincil Bank, Being Human in Lincoln’s Waterside Shopping Centre); providing free parking/grants for travel costs to on-campus activities (LiGHTS 2017). Since Covid-19, our annual PER conference presentations are available online as podcasts.
External funding for PER includes £108,439 (UKRI SEE-PER) establishing PEARL in 2018; £120,885 (EU) for European Researchers Nights in 2016/2017; £4,000 (British Academy) in 2019 to create a hub for the ‘Being Human Festival’. External sponsorship supports events, including: Spark Festival of Engineering and Frequency Digital Arts Festival. University investment supports a chair in public engagement and PEARL (including a programme manager, budget for annual grants, conference, awards).
Aspect 2: Support
PER support has increased following an in-depth review (2017) using NCCPE’s EDGE tool, and investment to enhance PER’s reach and visibility. An annual cycle of activity ensures researchers are trained, funded, motivated, supported and recognised for public engagement:
An annual Small Grants scheme (max. £1000/proposal) funds new activity (requiring proposals to detail underpinning research, activity, audience, costs and evaluation strategy) and public presentation of outcomes to inspire others. Introduced in 2018, the fund is increasingly oversubscribed. Informal support includes on-call advice, networking of publicly engaged researchers, a bi-monthly newsletter and the annual PEARL Conference (featuring presentations on successes to drive wider collaboration)
An integrated professional development programme was introduced in 2019, co-developed with University of Southampton. This includes 4x6-hour sessions (4x3 hours online preparation through Blackboard and 4x3 hours group workshops) covering principles, audiences, planning and evaluation of PER. In response to COVID-19 a fully online version was developed for June 2020.
Advice/discussion/grant proposal reviews are provided year-round, as well as weekly drop-in café sessions throughout term, and advice for unsuccessful PEARL grant applicants.
Digital engagement is enabled through our PER website (fig8), Facebook and Twitter (fig9). ‘Public Engagement’ tabs on
staff profile pages have also been introduced to facilitate access and increase awareness.
Community representatives acting as members of the PEARL Steering Group include: Lincolnshire County Council, Lincoln City Council, Lincolnshire Schools Teaching Alliance, Historic Lincoln Partnership, civic groups, parish councils, special interest groups, schools and charities.
Recognition of staff contribution to PER is included annually in staff appraisal (with an objective library to aid goal setting/assessment), ‘VC’s Awards for PER’ (graduation ceremonies alongside honorary degrees), staff merit awards (for teams/individuals), published report ‘Discover’ and PER conference, all raising the profile of this activity. Since 2018 the Lincoln Award for students includes student contribution to PE.
Aspect 3: Activity
Our approach is focussed on five Manifesto principles, upheld through 20 activities met through 50 specific, observable, measurable, accountable outputs (fig10).
The University has developed a holistic, integrated suite of PE activity including: talks, discussions, consultations, performances, festivals, exhibitions, unenrolled learning, collaboration, co-produced research projects, research participation. Highlights include:
-
National PE festivals: Pint of Science, Fun Palace, Being Human.
-
UoL-run programmes: Agri-Tech Breakfast Briefings, Philosophy Café, Summer Scientist, Great Lives.
-
External knowledge-sharing programmes: U3A, Cafés Scientifiques, talks to special interest groups e.g. historical societies, environmental groups.
-
On-campus festivals: LIGHTS, Festival of Creativity, Science Week
-
Community initiatives: Spark Engineering Festival, Frequency Festival; Lincoln Book Festival
-
One-off activities: public talks, pop-up exhibitions, pop-up social science park, response to external approaches.
The biennial Frequency Digital Culture Festival, attracts
national audiences to the city and in 2017 (10-day event) and 2019 (4-day event) audiences were over 40,000.
Through Lincolnshire One Venues and Transported - Creative People Places
we anchor arts and creative outreach activity across the county (34,087 participants during 2018-20) with most
of the participants from disadvantaged groups and rural communities. These have continued through COVID-19,
delivering on-line engagement and sustaining the freelance workforce of the cultural sector over the pandemic.
Our Centre for Culture and Creativity plays a pivotal role in developing
cultural policy and projects across the county and beyond, supporting Local Authorities delivering place-based
regeneration initiatives e.g. High
Street Actions Zones and Town Deal
Fund. Our Centre for Culture and Creativity Director chairs the Arts Council Midlands Region, is a
National Council Member (particular focus on the 10-year ‘Let’s Create’ strategy) and chairs the National Race
Advisory Working Group.
Our 2018/19 PEARL survey (see section 1) conducted online and in local libraries and promoted through community groups and local press, explored why people had attended engagement events (fig11) and what they gained, showing the majority attended to learn (fig13), and achieved this (fig12), meeting one of our key strategic aims (education & skills).
Aspect 4: Results and learning
Our Civic University Agreement with the City Council and Bishop Grosseteste University illustrates our commitment to partnership working with our communities. This was informed by a Citizens Panel survey in 2019 with place-making as the unifying theme; all goals and actions were designed to contribute towards the enhancement of Lincoln/shire as a place to live, work and visit. Survey respondents felt that universities should prioritise external partnerships with schools, colleges and businesses; partnerships between universities and the City & County Councils and support healthcare providers. Respondents had a strong awareness of universities’ involvement in education and skills; industrial partnership & economic support; arts, culture & heritage and health and wellbeing with 91% agreeing that universities have a role to support their communities.
All PEARL activity in 2017-19 was evaluated and reported in our SEE-PER report to UKRI available online.
Our PER activities are evaluated using wide range of methods. Examples include:
2017: Lights festival offered 53 activities, attracted 1500+ school pupils and wider publics and reached c.900,000 through a 3-hour live outside broadcast by BBC Radio Lincolnshire. Percentage
data from feedback using paper slips from 301 on-site visitors (fig14) showed this delivered Strategic Framework outputs 1/2/3/7/8/9/23/28/41/43.
2018: Our contribution to ‘Being Human’ festival attracted 300+ visitors to a one-day pop-up exhibition in a Lincoln shopping centre. Feedback from paper slips showed 96% felt awareness of the subject had increased and 93% increased understanding of the social relevance of humanities research. Its success led to a successful bid for hub status in the 2019 festival, offering 12 activities attracting 1400+ visitors aged 5-65+, 59% had never been to a university PER event before, 87% were inspired by the experience to find out more. This delivered Strategic Framework outputs 1/2/3/7/8/9/23/29/43.
2019: Our first involvement in Pint of Science in 2019 attracted 471 people to a ‘meet an astronaut’ talk, 66% had not been to an on-campus event before. Paper feedback forms showed 97% rated it good/excellent, 96% learned something new, 99% wanted to attend more events. A further 296 people attended 18 short pub-talks, with online feedback showing 97% learned something new, 84% found it inspiring. A survey of UoL presenting researchers showed all enjoyed it, appreciating the chance to reach wider audiences through dynamic, informal ‘conversation’. This delivered Strategic Framework outputs 1/2/3/7/8/9/41/43/45.
Aspect 5: Acting on results
Outcomes are reported to the University’s Civic & Regional Engagement group and the Research and Enterprise Committee and shared with publics online and through direct communications with specific interest groups. The 2017 PER Review was presented to senior staff endorsing the UKRI grant. 2017 EDGE tool survey results were communicated via the PER Newsletter and Website. Reports on externally funded activity (LIGHTS, Being Human) were submitted to funders and summaries communicated via website and digital newsletters. Outcomes of PER activities are reported through an annual review of PER (Lincoln ‘Discover’) available in hard copy/online, e.g. Issue 2 (published March 2020)) includes an evaluation of activities pertinent to our commitment to ‘local to global’, meaningful research including healthy aging (p18, 32), diversity (p19), wellbeing (p21, 23, 29), migration (p22), homelessness (p31) and mental illness (p33).
Evaluation of feedback and surveys has identified two priorities for the future:
Improved promotion/advertising to avoid people missing activities.
The PEARL website has been developed to address this with further promotion/communications.
We have improved our school engagement e.g. our partnership with The Priory Academy LSST and St Georges Academy partnership offering School-Centred Initial Teacher Training.
The University’s Academy Trust comprising five schools: a specialist school for children with autism, two primary schools and two secondary schools. In partnership with the engineering company Siemens and a local FE college we have created the University Technical College and lead the Lincolnshire Institute of Technology (uniting FE and HE provision across the region, engaged and driven by employer needs).
Increased engagements with Police and Prison Service as well as the Volunteer sector.
An annual city-wide research festival radiating from our city centre campus was requested in feedback from LIGHTS2017 and other activities e.g. Pint of Science2019, Being Human2019.
We have recruited a PEARL manager with experience of delivering this and will prioritise working with stakeholders to secure sponsorship.
For further information, please send queries to clewis@lincoln.ac.uk