Engagement Day

Engagement Day: Creating meaningful partnerships

We are delighted to announce that Engagement Day 2024 will take place on 13 November at the Great Hall in our South Kensington Campus. 

This year our theme is partnership, with the day providing an opportunity for staff and doctoral students from across the College to share knowledge and experiences related to societal engagement. 

Whether partnering with community groups, creatives or others across different disciplines, how can we ensure these relationships are equitable and result in meaningful engagement for all involved? Hear from inspiring speakers, meet like-minded colleagues and take time to discuss key issues and opportunities to partner with others.

How to register

Registration is now open. Capacity is limited, so please book early to avoid disappointment. Register via Eventbrite here. 

Who is this for?

All Imperial College London staff plus a limited number of places will be available for Imperial doctoral students.

What will the day involve? 

We are excited to announce Diana Pound CEnv, FCIEEM, as our keynote speaker for Engagement Day 2024. Diana is an internationally regarded solutionist and expert in participation with over two decades’ experience in enabling innovative thinking and facilitating dialogue in the workplace. As Managing Director of Dialogue Matters, which she founded in 2000, she has been a leading voice in conversations on topics ranging from nature and climate to participation and empowerment, and has advised UK governments and international bodies alike. 

Diana's keynote speech, "Effective research - making the most of the human element", will explore the many benefits and challenges of involving partners in science research. Drawing on Diana and her team at Dialogue Matters' own research and experience, the presentation will look at principles and practices of partnership working, touching on individual and group psychology, regenerative government and much more.

Alongside Diana’s keynote, the day will include a number of other talks and sessions:

In conversation with our Partners

Join our panel discussion to explore the benefits and challenges of partnerships in higher education, including contributions from:

·      Toby Laurent Belson (multidisciplinary community artist, designer and educator)

·      Matthew Barnett (Head of Children, Young People and Families, NOVA)

·      Joe Brown (Head Teacher, Old Oak Primary School)

·      Charity Jere Gondwe (Parent Carer Partner)

Deep Dives

in the afternoon, choose to attend one of four sessions, giving you the opportunity to explore a topic in more detail.

• Dilemmas café: using dialogue to explore challenges in partnership working
  Hosted by Dr Tom Morton   
• Negotiation when partnering with others
  Hosted by Diana Pound
• Impactful partnerships: measuring and telling the story 
  Hosted by Dr Amy Seakins and Emma Watson
• Initiating partnerships
  Hosted by Jodie Chan and Anna Lawrence-Jones 

Read more about the Engagement Day 2024 Deep Dive sessions here.

Lightning Talks

we’ll finish the day with four inspiring, fast-paced talks, highlighting what can be achieved through meaningful and effective partnership.

·      Christine Kinnear (Founder & CEO of With Insight Education) and Silje Andersen (Partnerships and Projects Manager, Outreach, Imperial) 

·      Tom Morton (Public Engagement Participatory Research Lead, Imperial)

·      Ellen Dowell (Public Engagement Officer, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial)

·      Lindsay Keith (Honorary Lecturer, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial)

Lunch and refreshments will be provided throughout the day, with plenty of time for networking and to meet colleagues from our central Public and Community Engagement, Schools Outreach, and Patient Experience Research Centre (PERC) teams. 

If you have any questions about the day or need more information, please contact societal_engagement@imperial.ac.uk .

Browse below previous Engagement Day programmes and highlights: