PEX Public Engagement Exchange

(Kopie 1)

Fellowship programme in Germany and South Africa

The German - South African Public Engagement Exchange (PEX) is a unique fellowship programme to foster leadership and innovation in public engagement (PE) among researchers and public engagement professionals based in Germany and South Africa. PEX fellows are trained to be visible and active ambassadors for engaged research, embedding engagement in their workplaces and institutions, supporting their peers to engage, and delivering meaningful and impactful engagement practice on an individual, institutional, and international level.

The project will build a global network of leaders in engagement with research and individuals who are knowledgeable in delivering public engagement. Each year, 20+ Fellows are selected to participate in the PEX training and innovation programme. Further partners sponsor fellowships for participants from Kenya, Benin, Zambia, Cameroon, and Zimbabwe to join the programme, enriching the community with additional perspectives and expertise from different regional contexts. 

Our leadership programme is designed to develop strategic leadership skills through a public engagement lens. The first part of the programme includes a 6-month online academy, which delivers public engagement and leadership theory. We also offer opportunities for peer exchange, focussing on developing awareness of diverse and effective practices and strategies for engaged leadership. Fellows are also invited to contribute to a Design Thinking Challenge on PE conducted by students of the d-school at Hasso-Plattner-Institute (HPI) in Potsdam as well as opportunities to lead on supported online sessions for the wider network and a co-curated in-person conference.

Research

The fellowship programme is complemented by a research component in collaboration with Stellenbosch University, South Africa. It aims to generate knowledge on the practice, scope, and potential of internationally implemented training and engagement methodologies. 

Supporting exchange of knowledge across different institutional and cultural contexts

In the long term, the PEX project aims to generate lasting resources that strengthen and advance Public Engagement (PE) practice. By connecting practitioners and researchers across Germany and South Africa, PEX contributes to a transnational perspective on public engagement and supports the exchange of knowledge, methods, and experience across different institutional and cultural contexts.

Partners 

The German-South African Public Engagement Exchange (PEX) is a BMFTR-funded initiative managed by the Public Engagement and Impact team of the Natural History Museum Berlin in collaboration with the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (CREST) at Stellenbosch University and Hasso Plattner Institute - School of Design Thinking.