Public engagement with research

We’re committed to sharing our knowledge, resources and skills with the public and to listening to and learning from the expertise and insight of the different groups with which we engage.

We have long played a central role in promoting the economic, cultural and social prosperity of our community.

Through our research, we aim to be seen as a valued source of ideas, innovation and inspiration by local people and organisations; to be at the heart of key strategic partnerships across the East of England; and to engage and enrich communities nationally in our flagship research initiatives, from our study of the hidden stories of the First World War, to bringing astrophysics to life in our mobile planetarium.

We are also a signatory to the Manifesto for Public Engagement, which is a commitment to the following:

• We believe that universities and research institutes have a major responsibility to contribute to society through their public engagement, and that they have much to gain in return.
• We are committed to sharing our knowledge, resources and skills with the public, and to listening to and learning from the expertise and insight of the different communities with which we engage.
• We are committed to developing our approach to managing, supporting and delivering public engagement for the benefit of staff, students and the public, and to sharing what we learn about effective practice.

Café Scientifique

Each month, academics explore different science and technology themes starting with a brief informal presentation followed by discussion and the opportunity to share ideas with the general public. Find out details about the next event.

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  Everyday lives in war

  Our First World War engagement centre is supporting community groups across the UK to capture the missing stories from a century ago, moving beyond the known narratives of courage and sacrifice to explore daily life during wartime.

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  Reaching out to the past

  Our Oral History Team is helping people tell their stories in their own words, capturing their memories and creating an archive of otherwise untold narratives for future historians to use.

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  People on the move

  Artist and University of Hertfordshire researcher Sam Jury’s award-winning film project shines a light on one of the world’s oldest refugee crises.

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  RoboCup

  Our Bold Hearts robot footballers are one of the most successful teams in the UK. Sharing the excitement of technology and science with a global audience, their triumphs on the pitch are also contributing to real-world developments in robotics and artificial intelligence.

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  A Universe for all

  From inviting visitors to try the telescopes at the University’s Bayfordbury Observatory, to taking our custom-made inflatable planetarium to science festivals, our astrophysicists are making the study of stars, planets and galaxies accessible to as many people as possible.

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  Driving the uptake of electric vehicles

  The University of Hertfordshire’s expertise in automotive technologies, transport planning and clean energy helped steer ambitious plans for the UK’s electric mobility.

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  New ethical standards for robots

  From self-driving cars to carebots that can assist the elderly, advances in robotics are set to change our world. But as robots are being designed to deal with ever more complex situations, so public debate is growing over the safe and ethical use of artificial intelligence.