In June 2022, the University of Derby launched its Civic University Agreement (CUA) – a set of five goals demonstrating its civic commitment to support Derby and Derbyshire and their communities. Following extensive consultation, this ambitious plan was created and is now being delivered alongside 15 other organisations - signatories of the CUA - in the region. Dr Rhiannon Jones, who leads the University’s civic agenda, shares the progress that has been made over the last 12 months towards delivering these ambitions and the key future priorities for the University.
“Since the launch of the Civic University Agreement the priority has been to find out more about the brilliant variety of civic engaged projects, teaching and research that is taking place every day, led by our fantastic staff and students. We have spent time meeting with local organisations, community groups, creative and cultural industry partners and with our signatories. Together we have developed new ways to work together, shared examples of best practice and mapped the civic impact of our work.”
CivicLAB
CivicLAB is an interdisciplinary research group convened in 2021, bringing together researchers and practitioners from across the arts and social sciences. Its purpose is to create and support projects that will sustainably tackle the social, environmental, and cultural challenges of today and tomorrow. It is working with a range of external partners, the public, educational institutions, and international networks.
“Through the work of CivicLAB, we have been putting community front and centre. We have designed a monthly programme of activities that afford us time to be with external stakeholders, partners, and local communities to listen and learn about local and national successes and challenges. From which, we have been able to respond with new initiatives, opportunities for research and collaborations.”
Gaia
As well as engaging locally, a key focus of the civic agenda at Derby over the last year has been sharing examples of best practice across the sector via the national Civic University Network. Members of the Civic team at the University were invited to present a webinar in February, sharing the progress made and the impact of a key partnership project, Gaia, with Derby Cathedral.
“Gaia is a stunning piece of creative artwork that undertook a worldwide tour. Over several years it was seen by millions of people, providing a unique opportunity to see the planet in its entirety as it slowly revolves. In 2022, the University strengthened our existing partnership with Derby Cathedral to bring Gaia to the city. It’s this kind of partnership that provides these fantastic opportunities for our communities and puts Derby on the map as a creative and cultural centre."
Civic Hub
“We’ve also been busy presenting to staff and students about the Civic University Agreement and ensuring there are opportunities for forming connections with our civic goals. This is an ongoing piece of work, and the new Civic Hub is one of the ways that we can share information and opportunities easily with our communities.”
The Civic Hub is a new site dedicated to all things civic – it includes Derby’s Civic University Agreement, the latest civic news, information about various projects, research, and initiatives that the University is involved in or leading and the positive impact this is having on local communities.
“We are working towards a position where we can start to identify where and how we can have the most impact. We are in a discovery phase, of nurturing interest, ensuring that everyone is attuned to the University’s civic goals and supporting engagement across a wide variety of projects and research programmes. It’s a journey that is being mapped out so that we can generate real impact. That takes time, but we’re building on a really strong foundation of civic and public engagement practice – as recognised by the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE).”
In February, the University was awarded Bronze Watermark Status by the NCCPE, a clear testament of its civic commitment and ambitions. Rhiannon adds: “This is a strong public statement that we are a Civic university, we have five focus areas and we’re making fantastic progress in delivering our Civic University Agreement.
“We are defining what success looks like for Derby and Derbyshire, and to do this, we must ensure we continue to deliver against our goals and meet the needs of the people who live, work and study in our region. We are proud to be the only university in our city and in our region and although this comes with its challenges, we have so many fantastic organisations, charities, groups, and education providers that are local to us.”
In 2022, the University partnered with Derby City Council, Derby County Community Trust, and the Derby Opportunity Area Board to submit an application to become a member of UNESCO’s Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC). The application was successful, and Derby was chosen as one of just seven UK cities to become GNLC members.
“It’s just another indicator of the commitment and dedication that exists here in Derby to learning and to delivering educational opportunities for all. I’m so pleased we were able to come together with partners in our city to gain this international recognition and I’m looking forward to continuing to work with communities in our region to share knowledge and create lifelong learning opportunities.”
Another key civic project for the University is S.H.E.D - the Social Higher Education Depot, a concept developed by Rhiannon as an innovative partnership in 2019. S.H.E.D is a research and innovation space that engages with lifelong learning and teaching through creative industry and cultural practice.
“S.H.E.D can adapt to multiple possible co-designed configurations – it can be whatever it needs to be. Its flexibility supports diversity, brings together people and communities from multidisciplinary fields, and supports social and cultural growth, especially for those who do not usually have a voice. S.H.E.D is a truly collaborative initiative and I’m delighted to say it is being recognised as a national case study for best practice, including by the National Centre for Academic and Cultural Exchange.”
Rhiannon was recently invited by the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network to talk about the opportunities and challenges of developing a spin-out company from a university and how a model for best practice has been developed through partnership working with external stakeholders. She was also a keynote speaker at a conference at the University of Antwerp in April, discussing S.H.E.D and Derby’s UNESCO Learning City status.
“Being a Civic university is very positive and I’m proud of colleagues who are taking their work to national and international platforms to showcase what we’re doing here at Derby in the civic space and highlighting our practice to those who also have that focus. We’ve a lot to share and a lot to learn, and having the opportunity to discuss those shared challenges and how we can address them is invaluable.
“A clear sign of how far we’ve come over the last year is that everybody I have the privilege of speaking with understands the social benefits that come from having civic responsibilities and the importance of working with our communities and within our place to make a real impact. My ambition is that the civic agenda becomes part of our DNA, where all students, members of staff and our visitors understand that we are a civic minded institution, and it is part of our lived culture.”
Written by Laura Burden
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