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Civic Engagement

ENGAGED

Co-Creating Ireland's Public Involvement in Open Research Roadmap

ENGAGED is building a national roadmap to shape public involvement in open research in Ireland. We believe that research can and does play an important role in tackling societal challenges. By making research more ‘open’, we believe that we can build wider communities of support for researchers, and we can make research more useful and usable. We believe that, where possible, research should be more accessible, more transparent, and a shared resource for the benefit of all who need it.

Starting the journey together

ENGAGED is about discovering the ways that research can connect with people; how it can benefit policymakers, how it can inform families with rare conditions; how it can empower NGOs in their advocacy work. We are already exploring how this is happening in other countries, but we want to shape a national roadmap that suits Ireland’s needs.

To achieve this, we will be hosting five Collective Intelligence Workshops between May and October 2025. These workshops are designed to bring together researchers, policy-makers, NGOs, and community voices to co-create a national roadmap​​. Through these sessions, we aim to:

  • Gather perspectives from diverse stakeholders on open research
  • Identify key barriers to public involvement in open research
  • Shape solutions that foster greater public access to knowledge

Your voice is essential

We’re inviting participation from a wide range of voices, because co-creating a roadmap for open research requires collective expertise, insight, and lived experience.

Here’s who we’re looking for:

  • Researchers: Academics and researchers at all stages of their career who can see the potential for public involvement in open research.
  • Data Stewards and Librarians: Experts who manage research data and are invested in improving its findability, accessibility and interoperability.
  • Policymakers and Advisors: Stakeholders who influence policy or practice and can see how open research can serve societal goals.
  • NGOs and Community Advocates: Individuals or organisations representing public interests, particularly those who understand the role that research plays in addressing societal challenges like climate change or public health​​.
  • Public Engagement Specialists: Facilitators and advocates passionate about connecting research with diverse audiences—through citizen science, education, or participatory events.

Whether you bring technical expertise or real-world experience, your perspective matters. Together, we’ll explore how to overcome barriers and innovate for greater public involvement in open research.

How you can get involved

If you're interested in being part of these discussions, fill in the short form below with your name and contact information. There’s no obligation to commit at this point – simply register your interest. Once we have workshop details, we will provide them to you.

Why open research matters

Imagine a world where research and research data, from health research to climate studies, is openly available to support better policies and innovation. Open research unlocks collaboration across borders, drives transparency, and fosters trust in the scientific process​​. But to make this a reality, we need systems that encourage and support researchers to share their findings in ways that can make this a reality.

Through ENGAGED, we’re also addressing challenges like infrastructure gaps, data protection, and the ethical handling of research data—ensuring openness works for everyone involved​.

Be part of something bigger

ENGAGED is about more than research. It’s about building a knowledge commons that benefits everyone. Your participation is not just about shaping policy - it is about helping to increase research’s potential as a global public good.

Let’s co-create this future together: Meet the ENGAGED team.

About NORF

ENGAGED is a joint project run between Trinity Collge Dublin and Dublin City University. It is funded by the National Open Research Forum (NORF), which is a Government of Ireland initiative, funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, through the Higher Education Authority.