BU Research Blog

The ESRC Festival of Social Science (FoSS) is back, running from 18 October to 8 November 2025.

Partnership with the University of Southampton

For the third consecutive year, Bournemouth University is partnering with the University of Southampton (UoS) to deliver a programme of social science events across Dorset and Hampshire. This collaboration enables BU researchers to organise joint events with UoS colleagues and share impactful research with a broader community.

Funding available for your social science event

Apply for up to £1,000 and join the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025 to showcase your research.

Online information session

Join our online information session to enhance your chances of a successful application and learn how to make the most of this exciting opportunity.

BU’s Public Engagement Team will co-host this session with the UoS Impact Funding Team. During the session, you will hear about past festival events at both universities, learn first-hand experiences from previous participants, and gain an understanding of the application process. You will also receive guidance on how to get involved in this year’s festival.

Wednesday 2 April 2025
11am – 12pm
Online (via Teams)

To attend, please register and we will be in touch with further information

Register here

Get inspired about planning your event

The 2025 open call will launch soon. In the meantime, explore these resources from last year to gather ideas and see which events resonated with public audiences while aligning with the festival’s goals:

• BU’s 2024 festival events
• The ESRC’s festival page 2024

To help with planning and audience engagement, check out these useful guides from last year’s open call:

• Festival Event Leader Pack Festival
• Event Leader Roles & Responsibilities

If you would like to start discussing your ideas, please get in touch publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk