Events and public engagement

The Events team work to develop and enhance the University’s reputation through the conception, planning, development and delivery of a professional events management strategy and public engagement programme. 

As well as maintaining and developing regional, national and international partnerships with a range of organisations and influencers, the Events team delivers an events programme, including both corporate events and public engagement activities.

Organise your own event

If you're looking to host your own event, support is available from the Events team. 

• Organise an in-person event
• Organise an online event
• Free speech and sensitive events

If you're organising a conference, you can get support from York Conferences.

Why public engagement is important

Public engagement activities are important to both the University and to individual researchers. 

At a broad level, events such as York Festival of Ideas and open lectures educate, inform and inspire members of the general public, school students, potential students. In addition the delivery of a vibrant programme of accessible and free events creates a vibrant environment for University staff, students and visitors.

At a personal level, engagement events offer opportunities for researchers at all levels to develop transferable and career-enhancing skills.

Public events also help to:

• position the University as a public intellectual and thought leader; 
• encourage knowledge dissemination and exchange;
• inform research and facilitate interdisciplinary working;
• inform and educate the public about the work of universities and the University of York in particular;
• inspire the next generation of researchers;
• enhance teaching and learning, and increase and demonstrate the University’s impact on society and the UK economy.

Public engagement for public good

The growth in the culture of engagement is in part driven by the requirement in the latest Research Excellence Framework to consider the economic, social and cultural impacts that might, and do, arise from research and teaching, and the increasing need to demonstrate accountability in the use and impact of of public money used to deliver research.

Public engagement activities directly support the University of York’s commitment to being a university for public good in a variety of ways, including:

• maintaining and developing collaborations and partnerships at regional, national and international levels
  Contributing to the impact agenda;
• playing an active role in the city and contributing to the educational, social and cultural development of York and Yorkshire;
• investing in activities which raise aspirations to HE, and breaking down barriers to education, and Higher Education in particular;
• contributing to the University’s reputation as a research-led institution which works for the benefit of the community.