Engagement awards

The Principal's Research Impact and Engagement Awards, or PRIME Awards, recognise outstanding achievement, innovation and creativity in impact and public engagement with research; celebrating activities with the potential to create economic, social, environmental and cultural impact from research, and engage broad publics, new stakeholders and underserved audiences.

There are 5 awards available annually:

• Involve: Recognising a research project and/or team that has actively involved publics or patients in the development and delivery of research, to ensure that the research priorities and innovations are societally relevant
• Inspire: Recognising a research project and/or team that has demonstrated and can evidence inspirational impact on society, from inspiring the next generation, to engaging defined communities in research.
• Influence: Recognising a research project/team that have had a demonstrable impact and can evidence local or global impact on policy and/or through the media, creating links between academia, impacted communities, civil society and policymakers.
• Innovate: Recognising a research project/team who have realised and can evidence the commercial potential and economic impact of their research, local or globally, either through working with industrial partners or spinning out a company
• Sustainable Futures: Recognising a research project or team that has strived for and can evidence the development of innovative technological solutions to contribute towards attainment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Heriot-Watt University was one of the first universities in the UK to award prizes for public engagement, demonstrating the importance of involving and inspiring the public with research. Since 2011, champions from across the University have been recognised for their efforts to reach new audiences not already engaged with research and demonstrate a lasting impact on the public.