The Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) held its annual Masterclass on November 16-17, 2021, focusing on “Public Engagement in Research and Innovation.” This virtual forum gathered 172 participants from 30 countries, including representatives from Science Granting Councils (SGCs), researchers, government officials, and partner agencies. The event explored strategies for increasing public involvement in science and technology, sharing experiences, and addressing barriers to broadening the public reach of research.

Dr. Konosoang Sobane, from the Human Sciences Research Council in South Africa, delivered the keynote presentation, which addressed the current status and challenges of public engagement in African research. Following her presentation, a panel of African SGC representatives—including TETFund (Nigeria), NCST (Rwanda), and NRF (South Africa)—alongside global partners like the UK Collaborative on Research and Innovation (UKCRI) and the Netherlands Research Council (NWO), provided insights on the complexities of involving the public in research initiatives. Representatives from Botswana, Uganda, Senegal, Kenya, and Namibia reinforced these discussions with additional African perspectives.

Main issues discussed:

• Restricted Focus on Public Engagement: The Masterclass highlighted a limited public engagement approach in some countries due to systemic organizational structures. Many councils, like Ghana’s MESTI, are embedded in broader government departments, where science-related goals are sometimes sidelined. In some instances, there is an over-focus on academic audiences, sidelining the broader public’s interest in research.
• Over-Reliance on Digital Technologies: The shift to online platforms for public engagement has improved access but has created challenges. While social media has become a primary tool, rural audiences and individuals without digital access are often excluded. The “digital divide” remains a significant barrier to inclusive engagement.
• Language Barriers: Linguistic diversity emerged as a key factor hindering inclusive engagement. Many African countries are linguistically diverse, yet much public research communication is available only in English or French. The absence of translation options restricts access, and SGCI emphasized the importance of multilingual communication to ensure research reaches diverse publics.
• Gender and Inclusivity Gaps: While there is an understanding of gender inclusivity’s importance, many councils lack concrete strategies for mainstreaming gender inclusivity in public engagement. Existing efforts are primarily focused on increasing female participation in research funding, but a broader capacity-building approach is needed to implement gender-sensitive engagement practices.
  • a) Improved Data Sharing Practices: SGCs should adopt user-oriented data sharing methods to better serve diverse public audiences. Making research outputs more accessible could enhance public engagement and inform policymaking.
  • b) Gender Action Plans: Councils are encouraged to develop gender-inclusive public engagement strategies and implement action plans that integrate women and marginalized groups into science and innovation activities.
  • c) Harnessing Digital Platforms: Councils should perform digital audits to select the most effective online platforms for their needs. Communication strategies should be tailored to include a wide range of digital tools and reach audiences across diverse contexts.
  • d) Inclusive Multimodal Engagement Strategy: Developing multimodal strategies, including video, audio, infographics, and social media, can help engage diverse audiences. These strategies enable more interactive and inclusive communication, facilitating a broader public impact.

The 2021 Masterclass strengthened awareness of the benefits and challenges of public engagement. The discussions yielded practical recommendations, and the SGCI team received feedback to enhance case studies and promote good practices. The Masterclass highlighted the need for collaborative, inclusive approaches to science communication that embrace Africa’s diversity, empowering councils to connect more meaningfully with the public.