This action plan supports the Medical Research Council (MRC) Public Partnerships Strategy. It provides an update on the year one actions from July 2024 to June 2025.
Priority 1: make sure public partnerships are a key aspect of research culture throughout the MRC research community
In year one, we planned to:
- publish and promote the MRC public partnerships strategy and supporting resources
- work with public involvement and engagement professionals, who support MRC-funded researchers, to raise their awareness and understanding of the public partnerships strategy
- make sure applicant and reviewer guidance clarifies expectations for public partnerships in research, what good looks like and how to include this in MRC funding applications
- contribute to UKRI funding discussions to ensure UKRI funding mechanisms integrate public partnerships
- develop a pilot where public partners contribute as MRC research funding application assessors (pilot to start in year two)
- develop, publish and promote MRC guidance on payment for public partners
- agree with the MRC prize committee how to integrate public partnerships into the MRC prize portfolio for the next round of prizes
- consult MRC community and external partners to develop a pilot to fund public partnerships to inform research design at the pre-application stage (pilot to start in year two)
Update July 2025
In the first year, we have focused on raising awareness of public partnerships with colleagues in MRC head office and our research community. In year two, we will begin developing communities of practice.
We published guidance on payment for public partners and updated our applicant guidance. We have been working to integrate guidance on public partnerships into UKRI funding opportunities and piloting ways of involving public partners as funding assessors.
In April, we launched a funding opportunity to support pre-application public involvement in MRC research, with awards to be made in Autumn 2025.
Priority 2: integrate public partnerships into leadership throughout the MRC research community
In year one, we planned to:
- appoint a director for public partnerships to provide expertise, support implementation of strategy and lead establishment of an MRC public advisory group
- appoint a public partnerships programme support manager to support implementation
- establish a public advisory group at MRC
- develop training and support for public advisory group members
Update July 2025
We appointed our new Programme Director for Public Partnerships in April and we are excited to begin establishing a new MRC public advisory group.
Priority 3: improve understanding of the differences that public partnerships make to non-clinical research
In year one, we planned to:
- deliver two webinars to share good practice in public partnerships
- share and evaluate case studies of good practice in public partnerships across different research areas
- co-develop an MRC public partnerships event to determine support and development needs for public partnerships, particularly in non-clinical research (event to be held in year two)
Update July 2025
We continued our Public Partnerships in Research webinars, with two more sessions sharing practical examples of where the research community has come together with public partners to shape non-clinical research.
We produced two new video case studies as an alternative format and commissioned an evaluation of our good practice resources, with recommendations to consider for future planning.
We have awarded £2.5 million to improve the understanding, design and practice of public involvement in non-clinical research through our Better Methods Better Research initiative. We are facilitating networking and cross-project working for the awardees and look forward to the evidence base that the awards will create.
Priority 4: diversify the range of people the MRC research community partners with
In year one, we planned to:
- work with the MRC public advisory group to reach out and build relationships with a diverse range of community groups and researchers
Update July 2025
This action will be progressed in year two once the public advisory group is established.
The updated funding opportunity and applicant guidance sets clear expectations that public partnership opportunities should be accessible, open and inclusive to all.
Priority 5: make health and biomedical research accessible to all and engage the next generation
In year one, we planned to:
- co-develop an MRC public partnerships community of practice event to bring together MRC researchers, public involvement and engagement professionals and public partners (event to be held in year two)
- ensure public partners are involved in the development of the next MRC science strategic delivery plan
Update July 2025
We held a public partner consultation workshop for our science Strategic Delivery Plan. Outputs from the workshop helped to shape the refreshed plan.
Researchers and public involvement and engagement professionals have been invited to a public partnerships session at the MRC conference in November 2025, where we will discuss ideas for an MRC community of practice in non-clinical research.
Priority 6: support and develop everyone working in public partnerships to promote continuous learning and sustainability
In year one, we planned to:
- contribute to, and pilot, UKRI culture change staff development training for public engagement
- co-develop with relevant stakeholders, such as MRC research institutes, ways to embed meaningful public partnerships into non-clinical research practice
- set up a buddying scheme for MRC public advisory group members and MRC staff
Update July 2025
We have developed a ‘How to involve public partners in your work’ training video and written guidance for MRC head office staff.
Evaluation
In year one, we planned to:
- work with our newly appointed public advisory group to co-develop success measures and a strategic evaluation plan
Update July 2025
We will work with key stakeholders, including our public advisory group, once established, to co-develop success measures and a strategic evaluation plan.