Ulster University

Why we've signed the Manifesto

“As Northern Ireland’s Civic University, we are proud to sign up to the Manifesto for Public Engagement. It is a tangible demonstration of our commitment to the civic agenda, as captured in the Fifty & Five plan. Our involvement with the National Centre will help us to access national and international expertise to enhance our engagement with and impact on wider society, as well as maximise the associated benefits for our staff and students.” 

Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Alastair Adair

Our approach to public engagement

Ulster University has a mission-defining vision to be Northern Ireland’s civic university. This mission is explicit and embedded in each of the strategic priorities of the University, bringing our education and our research into the civic space and promoting authentic engagement with and impact for society, community, the public, the economy, the region, and the public sector.

The Five & Fifty Strategy (2016 - 2034) of the University outlines a vision as Northern Ireland’s civic university which demonstrates the mature and embedded approach taken by the University to civic and public engagement. Strategy - People, Place and Partnership (ulster.ac.uk))

The Strategy includes four priorities, each carrying objectives with success indicators. These are:

• Civic Contribution
• Academic Excellence
• Global Vision
• Operational Excellence

The themes of Civic Contribution are embedded in each of the strategic priorities, evidencing that the University is actively contributing through its education and its research activities to 21^st-century society, and in the regional and international contexts. 

The importance of public engagement by the University is evident in: the general aspiration for civic contribution, the indicators of success, and the objectives in this area. Selections that demonstrate an embedded approach are given below.

• Aspiration: to be a leader in the social, economic and cultural development of Northern Ireland.
• Indicators of success (selected):
  • Influence on social, economic and public policy
  • External stakeholder and university engagement
  • Campuses serving their locations and everyone in Northern Ireland
  • Increase in educational attainment in underachieving areas
  • Increased capacity building, contributing to local competitiveness.
• Objectives (selected):
  • Engaged with civic leaders to promote and deepen the partnership with the local community, enhancing the economic, social and cultural vitality of the region.
  • Establish a purposeful network of both internal and external civic ambassadors.
  • Maximise the public value of the assets of the University.
  • Constructively inform policy that will deliver positive outcomes for Northern Ireland.
  • Enabling Northern Ireland to be outward looking with a global profile.

Contact:

Name: Professor Alastair Adair

Title: Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Email: as.adair@ulster.ac.uk