Engaged research involves meaningful collaboration between researchers and community members. It values the input and participation of community stakeholders in shaping research questions, methods, and outcomes.
What is Engaged Research?
Engaged research is an approach to academic research that involves active collaboration and partnership between researchers and the communities they study or serve. It aims to address real-world problems and generate knowledge that is relevant, useful, and meaningful to the communities involved.
Engaged research is particularly relevant in fields such as public health, urban planning, social sciences, environmental studies, and education, where addressing complex societal challenges requires collaboration and partnership with diverse stakeholders. It fosters a more inclusive and socially responsible approach to academia by bridging the gap between research and practice and creating opportunities for knowledge exchange and mutual learning.
Engaged research goes beyond the traditional model of academia, where researchers often operate in isolation and focus primarily on advancing theoretical knowledge within their discipline. Instead, engaged research recognizes the importance of including community perspectives, knowledge, and expertise throughout the research process. It seeks to create mutually beneficial relationships between researchers and community members, ensuring that the research is responsive to community needs and priorities.
| Engaged research describes a wide range of research approaches and methodologies that share a common interest in collaboration with societal partners. Engaged research aims to improve, understand, or investigate an issue of public interest or concern, including societal challenges and sustainable development goals. It is advanced with societal partners rather than for them. |
Who are societal partners?
- Service users
- End users
- People with lived experience
- Policymakers
- Civil and civic society organisations
- Industry partners
- Members of the public
- Other relevant stakeholders.
Key features of engaged research include:
Engaged research recognizes that community members possess valuable knowledge and expertise based on their lived experiences. It aims to combine academic knowledge with community knowledge to generate new insights, theories, and solutions.
Engaged research often employs participatory methods that actively involve community members in the research process. This can include participatory workshops, focus groups, interviews, or participatory action research, where community members actively contribute to data collection, analysis, and decision-making.
Engaged research emphasizes translating research findings into actionable outcomes that address community needs. It aims to have a positive impact on the community by informing policy, practice, and social change.
Engaged research recognizes the importance of ethical considerations in research. It involves respecting the rights, values, and cultural contexts of the communities involved and promoting the equitable distribution of benefits and resources.