The University is looking to roll out engaged learning in other departments and encourage sustainability for these types of projects.  The initial idea is to investigate adapting the model for use in the School for Policy Studies, as well as continuing the work in Civil Engineering.  External funding via a grant bid has been sought to cover the costs of managing the project and supporting the student interns.  Since this area is considered to be of high priority to a number of groups within the University (including the Centre for Public Engagement and the Students’ Union), internal funding is also being looked at if the external bid is unsuccessful.

The major cost on this type of project is people’s time, especially during the scoping stage.  This includes the time of the students, the time of the community partners and the time of the project coordinators.  However these costs are likely to decrease as community-based learning projects become established.  Several current partners have expressed interest in future collaborative projects.  Since they have an understanding of the requirements for such projects it should be easier to co-develop projects for next year.  The long term aim is for each project to have a built-in sustainability aspect – where the students consider the future research challenges.  These could ensure that projects become self-sustaining.

As such, it is highly likely that community-based projects will continue.  This includes the continuation of projects with current community partners who are looking to maintain links.  Depending upon the requirements of the community partner, it is also possible that some 3rd year students could do their 4th year design project with the same community partner.  However it should also include expansion of the project in terms of community partners, departments involved and the types of projects offered (such as postgraduate as well as undergraduate).  

The University is currently looking at ways of making such community-based projects sustainable, as championed by the Engaged University Steering Group (which endeavours to steer the University of Bristol’s vision of an engaged university).  This project provides evidence of what can be achieved and has been used as a case study at internal meetings (including a forum on engaged learning which will take place on the 14th May).

The University of Bristol has just been awarded a small grant (led by the University of the West of England) from HE STEM Programme on sharing learning between the two institutions about engaging the local Bristol community.  This grant is a direct outcome of discussions at HE STEM dissemination events from this project in March 2012.  Other funding opportunities are being explored.

The project will feature as a case study in the University’s stakeholder publication on public engagement (provisionally entitled Public Engagement at the University of Bristol), which will be produced in summer 2012.  The publication is designed to highlight the importance of public engagement at the University and the breadth of activities that the staff and students are involved in.

For more information please contact the project lead: