The first task of ENGAGE.EU’s work package 4 (Engaged in Society) is related to mapping the structures, cultures, and processes on societal engagement. Here, the core objective is to start reflecting on our common understanding of societal outreach activities and to get an overview of existing practices for societal outreach within and outside the alliance.

Therefore, the task force at the University of Mannheim (Julia Derkau, Anne-Sophie Waag, and Jonathan Schwenzer) developed a reporting tool for all alliance members to examine their definitions, narratives, best practices, and governance structures related to societal outreach as well as the universities’ activities in this regard.

The reporting tool was launched in March 2021 and lays out the basis for a joint workshop for the alliance members planned for July 2021. The workshop will focus and discuss the results and implications of the survey. Until then, the Mannheim team will be analysing and evaluating the data harvested thus far. In parallel, our Student Circle will also be working on the same question set. Their perspective and recommendations will be integrated into the final proposal of a common societal outreach framework encompassing the ENGAGE.EU alliance.