Civic engagement and community

University Civic Agreement

UWE Bristol, University of Bristol, City of Bristol College, Bristol City Council, and the City Office have strengthened their relationship by signing a Civic University Agreement (CUA).

The partnership reflects the many positive benefits to the city that the institutions collectively bring, including new jobs, apprenticeships, research collaborations and educational opportunities. It outlines the intention to do even more in collaboration across several key social impact areas.

At the heart of the CUA is a desire to ensure that the local population benefits from the thriving further and higher education sectors in Bristol.

Community and third sector collaboration

We are involved with public, community and third-sector organisations through a variety of exchanges, partnerships and collaborations.

• Provision of direct services – student volunteers, student placements and internships, provision of specialist academic advice (for example legal advice), provision of specialist skills, mentoring, opportunities for life-long learning, free consultancy, contribution to governance via board membership and trusteeships.
• Development work – capacity building work with neighbourhood, faith and other community and voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations, work with service user and special interest groups, civic partnerships with schools and voluntary organisations.
• Engagement in policy and social innovation – through research and knowledge exchange contributing to policy development in local and national government and across the second and third sector.
• Citizen-led collaboration – to scope and define research questions and develop mutually beneficial research projects.
• Discharging ethical responsibilities – to inform the public about socially sensitive research topics, such as, developments in nanotechnologies and bioengineering.
• Disseminating information and knowledge to non-specialist audiences – such as public lectures, science cafes, public conferences and debates as well as more informal two-way interactions through public events such as the Festival of Nature, Festival of Ideas, etc.
• Producing work to be seen by large audiences – such as Centre for Music concerts, visual art, performance and digital media outputs.
• Mobilising the University’s physical infrastructure as a public resource – through Spike Island, our Centre for Sport, transport and our plans for the new campus.
• Supporting government agendas – such as engaging young people with STEM subjects, widening participation and enterprise.
• UWE Bristol was one of the first UK universities to sign the Public Engagement Manifesto.