{"id":1669,"date":"2026-07-24T11:44:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T10:44:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/publicengagement\/?p=1669"},"modified":"2026-07-24T11:49:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T10:49:25","slug":"how-upstream-engagement-is-changing-how-we-work-as-public-engagement-professionals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/publicengagement\/2026\/07\/24\/how-upstream-engagement-is-changing-how-we-work-as-public-engagement-professionals\/","title":{"rendered":"How Upstream Engagement is changing how we work as public engagement professionals"},"content":{"rendered":"

Upstream Engagement is a new strategic priority for us in the Public Engagement Unit, it is another tool that helps us fulfil our aim of improving research for everyone. <\/span>We want to understand what upstream work already happens at the University of Bath, what ca<\/span>p<\/span>acity and\u00a0<\/span>capability<\/span> exists among researchers and professional services staff, and how we can build the conditions for<\/span>\u00a0more and better upstream engagement. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

But why\u00a0<\/span>upstream engagement? And how is this already changing how we work?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Upstream\u00a0Engagement?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Upstream engagement means working early and proactively, where influence is greatest and before momentum takes hold. Like standing near the source of a river, it allows us to help shape the direction of travel, rather than trying to alter its course once it is already flowing downstream. By engaging upstream, we can direct resources, attention and support towards those who need them most, helping to create better outcomes for all and reduce the need for later interventions.<\/p>\n

We define upstream engagement as working with individuals and communities from outside research in the early stages of research (usually before you apply for research funding).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We have seen an increased need for upstream engagement across the University of Bath. This includes\u00a0a whole range\u00a0of activities from citizens panels to deliberative engagement\u00a0to patient and\u00a0early\u00a0public involvement and engagement (PPIE). What all of these have in common is an ambition\u00a0to\u00a0influence\u00a0what research\u00a0is done and how it is done so that it is more inclusive,\u00a0impactful\u00a0and responsive to societal and public needs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We also know that publics want to be involved at the\u00a0early stages\u00a0of research.\u00a0Publics expect to have input on the key questions that are answered in the\u00a0early stages\u00a0of research.\u00a0Questions\u00a0like:\u00a0what are the research questions? What\u00a0methodology\u00a0will be used? What are the intended outcomes? Who will be involved in the research and how?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Once the research is funded\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0much harder to change the answer to\u00a0these\u00a0questions.\u00a0So,\u00a0if we want our research to be\u00a0responsive\u00a0to public needs, to be\u00a0impactful\u00a0and to\u00a0be inclusive of those affected by and interested in the\u00a0research\u00a0then we need to engage and involve people upstream.\u00a0If we only engage publics in a downstream way we often\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0make the changes that publics expect and we risk losing the benefits of involvement\/engagement and public trust in research and research institutions.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How are we working differently?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

This approach to upstream engagement has already prompted the PEU to work differently. Usually we work in a supportive, capacity building way. We don\u2019t do engagement or involvement ourselves, we support researchers and professional services staff to do it. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, for our new Upstream Engagement Pilot<\/a> we are changing that. We are supporting three projects to run a series of three upstream engagement community workshops. As Upstream Engagement Manager, I will be supporting the building and holding of relationships with public groups and offering a substantial amount of my time and expertise to design, facilitate and evaluate these workshops<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why are we doing this?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

In the earlier phases of\u00a0ParticipatoryResearch@Bath<\/a> we have seen that researchers don\u2019t always have the capacity and capability to create and hold ethical relationships with public groups. We know that researchers struggle with \u2018getting out there\u2019 and forming relationships that could benefit their research at the upstream stage. <\/span> This is often because we don't have the right support and infrastructure to enable researchers to do this work. It is a priority for us to change this.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We also know that when these relationships go wrong not only can you lose the benefits of good engagement\/involvement, but you can actively harm communities. This could be through extracting knowledge and\/or resources without compensating them,\u00a0disappearing\u00a0halfway through a project\/relationship\u00a0and leaving communities exposed or ending relationships badly without outputs for communities or a clear sense of what difference their contributions\u00a0have\u00a0made.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

By holding these relationships ourselves alongside researchers we are making sure that\u00a0we\u00a0take an ethical approach to these relationships.\u00a0It also means that researchers get to be participants alongside the public contributors. This gives them space to reflect and be\u00a0part of the dialogue with public contributors without having to worry about holding the space and\u00a0facilitating\u00a0that dialogue.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whilst I am by no means a neutral facilitator (I still work for the University of Bath), I am separate from the research project itself helping us to flatten power dynamics usually present in researcher led events. Our\u00a0expertise\u00a0in facilitation and relational work<\/a> means we can set these workshops up for\u00a0success.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Being on the ground in this way is also vital for us to learn more about upstream engagement at the University of Bath. What kind of support and infrastructure does the University need to let projects like these thrive?\u00a0This new way of working might feel unfamiliar, but it helps us capture the learning we need to make an\u00a0institutional\u00a0case for upstream engagement.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s\u00a0next?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The three upstream engagement pilot projects are underway.\u00a0We\u2019ll\u00a0be\u00a0collecting the learning from them as we go alongside reviewing what we already know about upstream engagement from our other programmes.\u00a0We\u2019ll\u00a0be sharing more reflections as\u00a0we go.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A prompt for anyone interested in this work. Have you ever changed the way you work to respond to a new priority? This could be upstream engagement, responsible\u00a0research\u00a0and innovation, PPIE or something completely\u00a0different. What made you decide you needed to work in\u00a0a different way\u00a0and how did it affect the results?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rob Cooper is the Upstream Engagement Manager at the University of Bath.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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