1. 'Putting Democracy and engagement in university research'
Dr Paula Black
Director, Nottingham Civic Exchange, Nottingham Trent University

2. The context Multiple demands on academic and other staff
The University civic mission – to what extent is the organisation a ‘civic university’
University as an anchor institution in the Place it is located
Multiple incentive and assessment structures – REF, TEF, NSS, Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF)
The university has many front doors

3. What is the Civic University?
Research, teaching and engagement activities enhance each other and are given equal weight
Research and teaching can be carried out with little community involvement and with little thought to what the outcomes of the research are for or who will
The aim of the civic university os that democratic engagement processes are seen to contribute to teaching, learning, research and the core mission of the university so placing questions about these values at the heart of university roles – not as something in a separate sphere

4. From Goddard, J. et al (2016) The Civic University

5. Goddard et al (2016) the Un-civic university

6. The Civic University What acts against the civic university?
Silos and accountability regimes which see teaching, research and engagement as separate
The focus on enterprise and business engagement as the only/primary route through which universities engage with the local place
Status or priority given to research and teaching – seen separately to ‘third mission’ activities
Also potentially
University structures
The skills and mind set which has traditionally been required to progress in universities

8. What is Nottingham Civic Exchange?
NCE is Nottingham Trent University’s ‘Civic Think Tank’
NCE supports the role of Nottingham Trent University as an anchor institution in the City and the region.
Established in partnership with the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) .

9. Why we set up Nottingham Civic Exchange
Facilitate the impact of our research on policy and practice.
Address the needs of our local communities.
Linking our observations about our city and county to national policy debates.
Enhance NTU’s civic engagement.
Building connections between our students and staff, and civic agencies.
Provide our students with practical experience of the analysis, dissemination, and impact on policy.

10. Creating the University of the future
Nottingham Trent University five strategic themes:
Creating Opportunity
Valuing Ideas
Enriching Society
Connecting Globally
Empowering People

11. Where have we started?
Ordinary Working Families, the Just About Managing, the Squeeze Middle.

12. Ordinary Working Families
Just about managing Squeezed middle Alarm clock Britain OWFs: A household where at least one person is working, where there is at least one child and where household earnings after tax and benefits is between £12,000-34,000 pa This does not cover subjective experience of economic insecurity

13. Why Ordinary Working Families?
The challenges facing people earning low to medium salaries have remained high on the political agenda in recent years.
The debate is not simply about the level of household income. It encompasses practical matters around access to housing and education alongside less immediately tangible concerns, such as financial resilience and feelings of economic insecurity.
A significant proportion of NTU students come from households in the OWF income bracket.
Bringing local voices into the policy arena

14. Programme – setting the context
Phase 1: To develop an understanding of the population, living in Greater Nottingham, characterised as falling into the OWFs category and to compare this to the national picture. Data and mapping.
Phase 2: To situate the OWFs discussion in a broader policy and academic context – this has focused on economic insecurity.
Phase 3: A research programme with a focus on housing issues; economic insecurity; and lived experience.
For publications and events see:

15. Current activity
A research programme which responds to the challenge ‘how much do we really know about the experience of Ordinary Working Families’? This includes the social, cultural and economic context
Housing affordability
Economic insecurity and precarious work
Inclusive Growth – advising the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership
A series events including launch of RSA report on economic insecurity; live budget response to media bringing academics, students and other citizens together to deliberate and give their views

16. The context: challenges
Working at different levels - engagement at community level is only one way to achieve change. How to ensure communities are represented across of our work
Fulfilling a range of requirements (funding; student experience; community relationships; impact agenda)
Time and multiple demands
Keeping track of work already going on
Working horizontally across the university, communities and regional governance structures
Need to be entrepreneurs but also ‘intrepreneurs’
Communities – subjects of research, identify issues, carry out research, governance, our pathways to impact e.g. events, policy development, other outputs

17. The context: what has helped us?
The University strategy
Support of Vice Chancellor and senior colleagues
Good networks into the city, county and region
Building on the groundwork and good will already established though individual relationships and the role NTU has played over previous years
Being core funded – we are around for the long-haul

18.
@NottsCivicEx

19. Questions
How do we best engage with communities who are not self-identified and not easy to locate?
What impact does this have on how we conduct research?
This is relevant for our work with ordinary Working families or those experiencing Economic Insecurity but is also relevant for other communities who might not see themselves as such