About the Toolkit

Helping researchers to promote research with impact

The John Rylands Research Institute and Library (the Rylands), with sites in Manchester city centre and on the Oxford Road Campus, is uniquely placed to help extend research reach to public audiences and demonstrate research impact.

The Rylands welcomes thousands of visitors through its doors each year and our influence extends worldwide through online events and digital content.

Collaboration with researchers

The Exhibitions and Public Engagement with Research (EPER) team, based at The John Rylands Research Institute and Library on Deansgate, delivers a programme of exhibitions and public events. The team is keen to work with researchers at the University of Manchester to create innovative public engagement opportunities linked to research on our extensive Special Collections. Researchers can collaborate with us on a variety of public engagement activities as a route to impact.

Helping researchers to promote research with impact - realising the effects and benefits of research beyond academia - is one of the priorities of the Exhibitions and Public Engagement with Research (EPER) team at the Rylands. The EPER team and Faculty Impact Teams can help you develop your impact plan, identify and reach target audiences and to evaluate your public engagement. Staff at the Rylands can help you to think creatively about designing engaging activities with effective dialogue with the public and help you demonstrate impact. We can assist in embedding evaluation in your public engagement activity and facilitate the capture of participant comments and feedback.

Examples of impact

Examples of impact that might be created through public engagement with research at the Rylands include:

• Enhancing cultural understanding of issues and phenomena; shaping or informing public attitudes and values.
• Stimulating public interest and engagement in research.
• Engaging the public with research, so that their awareness, attitudes or understanding certain issues have been positively influenced, and their ability to make informed decisions on issues is improved.
• Shaping or informing public or political debate by research; this may include challenging established norms, modes of thought or practices.
• Contributing to processes of commemoration, memorialisation and reconciliation.

Source: REF 2021 Panel Criteria and Working Methods

Find out more about the types of engagements activities that we can facilitate.

Researchers should include the cost of impact in any research grant bid. If activities will be held at the Rylands we can provide sample costings.

Faculty Impact Teams can advise on the most appropriate impact activities and evaluation for REF (Research Exchange Framewrork) and KEF (Knowledge Exchange Framework).

The University offers training to help you plan effective public engagement evaluation and provides a useful Public Engagement Evaluation Guide.

Contact us

Get in touch if you are interested in public engagement at the Rylands. We can help you think creatively about how exhibitions, events and education can help you demonstrate research impact. If you are developing an external grant bid, we can provide information to assist you to produce realistic and fundable impact. 

Examples of impactful engagement at the Rylands by University of Manchester academics.

Further information about engagement at the University of Manchester.