Liverpool Hope University

Why we've signed the Manifesto

Liverpool Hope University plays a vital role in our city and region. We believe it is our responsibility to foster economic, social, cultural, educational, and environmental growth for the benefit of our community. 

That’s why public engagement is central to our strategic plan for 2023-28. Over the next four years, we aim to become an anchor institution in our region, contributing to solutions for local and global challenges, to the development of a skilled and future-ready workforce, and to realising a more equitable society.

We will use our research, scholarship and knowledge exchange to make a positive social impact and are committed to working with the public and our local and international partners to be a force for good.

Our approach to public engagement

Our 2023-28 strategic plan sets out our commitment to public engagement and is focused on two key themes:

• Research, scholarship and knowledge exchange which impact societal challenges
• Partnership working at a local, national and international level.

Over the next four years we will strive to engage with the public, businesses, the cultural industries and third sector organisations to help deliver Liverpool City Region’s priorities. 

This builds on existing public engagement taking place across the University:

• Our Community Engagement Team coordinates and supports a variety of projects across Liverpool.
• The School of Creative and Performing Arts collaborates with various partners to deliver public-facing work. They are currently working with the English National Ballet to support people living with Parkinson’s through the joy of dance, music, and social connection.
• Our supported internship scheme received a partnership award from Liverpool City Council for its impact on 17-19-year-olds from special educational needs schools.

Liverpool Hope Business School host Civil Service boot camps, helping a diverse population from across the city secure jobs with the Civil Service.

Our public engagement hallmark

Social justice has been part of Liverpool Hope University’s DNA throughout its 180-year history. Our founding colleges were pioneering in that they welcomed people previously excluded from higher education and that tradition of widening participation continues today.

This was encapsulated by a 2023 public engagement project led by our School of Creative and Performing Arts, which gave pupils from two special educational needs schools in Liverpool the opportunity to perform at the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.

Professor Stephen Davismoon was awarded funding from Liverpool City Council to deliver the project, which aimed to provide children who may not have previously engaged with the arts, the opportunity to experience music in a professional setting.

The pupils from Sandfield Park School and Alt Bridge Secondary School worked with Stephen and industry professionals to write a song called You Are Not Alone which celebrated the musical heritage of Liverpool and Ukraine.

After rehearsing over several weeks in the music production facilities at the University’s Creative Campus they performed on stage in the Eurovision Village at Liverpool’s iconic waterfront. Following the performance, the song was released as a charity single to raise money for those affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine. 

Our public engagement talking point

We pride ourselves on transforming the lives of those who may have considered a University experience to be beyond their reach and providing them with opportunities for personal growth and life choices that would otherwise have been closed to them. 

However, we find that external perspectives of those unfamiliar with the sector, and also - too often - prevailing political narratives, present a limited view of what Universities have to offer their communities. 

The Engage Watermark offers a welcome opportunity to counter some of these perspectives and highlight a broader range of contributions that make Universities such anchor institutions in their communities. 

Our public engagement people

The Poverty Research Action Network (PRAN) was established in June 2023 with the aim of uniting regional stakeholders in a common mission to fight poverty and social injustice in all its forms. 

So far it has recruited 150 members, and most recently ran a very successful meeting (Inequalities and Health Summit) focused on addressing the rising challenges of health inequality. It brought together over 200 delegates including policymakers, health professionals, academics, social entrepreneurs and charity representatives to develop actionable solutions (https://www.pran.org.uk/). 

The burgeoning success of PRAN is largely down to the leadership and energy of Dr. Natalija Atas and Dr. Vicki Dabrowski, the founding members of the Network. Among other outputs they co-create a series of podcasts (the cost of living chronicles) highlighting challenges for specific communities affected by the cost of living crisis; a series of blog posts;  and of course academic outputs in the field. Their work has already attracted the attention of the Director of Public Health for Liverpool who gave a keynote at their most recent symposium.