One of the Medical Research Council’s (MRC) strategic priorities is to build a culture within MRC and its research community where equitable and inclusive public and patient involvement and engagement is an integral part of research.
Public engagement includes all types of activity that seek to break down the barriers between research, innovation and society.
Collaborative research and patient and public involvement are all ways that research and innovation can be co-created with the public. Festivals, museums and science centres aim to inspire publics and share knowledge.
Schools engagement, including mentoring programmes and work placements, offers the next generation a window on the many career opportunities available in research and innovation and helps them to develop useful skills.
We are undertaking activities to help us develop a new MRC public involvement and engagement strategy. This will support the goals of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) public engagement strategy.
It will also align with the shared commitment to public involvement signed by UKRI in 2022. With this statement, we have made a commitment to improve and expand public involvement in health and care research so that everyone has the opportunity to contribute and to benefit from it.