BU Research Blog

Start reporting your data for events with external audiences

We are now collecting information for the annual Higher Education – Business & Community Interaction (HE-BCI) survey. This data is used to calculate our Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF) grant and feeds into our submission to the Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF), so it is really important that we can provide a full and accurate picture of all our public engagement.

To support this, we are starting the process to collect the data earlier than usual. You can enter details of your events now by going to the SharePoint site. All events need to have taken place between 1 August 2021 and 31 July 2022.

Which events do I need to report?

• Public lectures & talks
• Performance arts (music, dance, drama etc)
• Exhibitions (galleries, museums etc)
• Museum education
• Media engagement (TV/radio interviews, podcasts etc)

If you’re not sure if your event is eligible for inclusion, the SharePoint site includes further details and guidance.

What data is collected?

We collect a wider range of data than is required for HE-BCI, for additional external and internal reporting, e.g. HEIF Annual Monitoring Statement and Athena Swan. For the purposes of the HE-BCI survey, you must record the following:

• event dates – to ensure eligibility
• whether the event or activity was free or chargeable
• the number of attendees (or views/visitors)
• the amount of staff time in hours needed for delivery.

Without this specific data, we will not be able to include your event in the survey.

Further information

The SharePoint site provides details about which data is collected and how, including calculating attendee numbers and staff time, and reporting online activities and multiple related events. If you have any further questions about the HE-BCI return, please contact publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.