BU Research Blog

The ESRC Festival of Social Science is an annual, UK-wide, free celebration of the social sciences, planned to take place from 22 October – 13 November 2022. BU have been involved in the festival for over a decade, running our own internal selection process and delivering up to ten activities per year.

The festival aims to encourage, support and create opportunities for social science researchers to engage with non-academic audiences. It is a prestigious initiative by a major research funder, and BU’s continued involvement is justified by the quality of events and activities. Being part of this festival is an achievement worth citing and celebrating.

Events must “feature social science (ideally with a social scientist involved in the event)”. If this doesn’t clearly apply to you, consider these options;

• Does your research have clear implications for society that could be explored from a social science perspective?
• Could you collaborate with a social scientist, combining your resources and creativity to explore the impact of your research? If you’re looking for a collaborator, the Research Blog or BU website are great places to start or contact us for help.

What support is available?

Before applying, you will have access to:

• Bookable one-on-one advice slots with BU’s Engagement Officer
• Detailed applicant guidance to help you apply

When your application is successful, you will receive:

• A half-day training session from an expert external public engagement trainer
• Continuing advice and support from BU’s public engagement team on all areas of planning, promoting delivering, evaluating your activity
• The promotional boost from being part of a huge national festival.

How to apply

•  Read the application guidance to support you in completing an effective application.
• Submit your application using the online form. You can save your progress and return later, though it’s advisable to keep a backup elsewhere. There is a pdf version of the whole form for drafting purposes only.

Find out more about the resources available to help plan and support your application

If you have any questions, please email the public engagement team.