Delivery against the strategy will see the independent charity support scientists to connect directly with the public, reach new and more diverse audiences to deepen their engagement with science, and support teaching and practical skills for STEM – in school and in the home – to make a demonstrable difference to students’ experience of science.
At the same time, the Ri will build on its heritage of scientific discovery, demonstrations and pioneering public engagement to preserve and interpret its collection for wider access and future study, enhance its financial stability, and reduce its environmental impact, including through a £4.35 million environmental retrofit supported by the London Mayor.
Katherine Mathieson, Director of the Royal Institution, said: “Science transforms lives and underpins the modern world. It’s part of our culture, but not everyone has the same opportunity to engage. At the Ri we believe there should be equitable access to science, and our new strategy renews our commitment to nourish people’s desire to engage with science and scientists.”
“Over the next five years we will make the Ri a more accessible and welcoming organisation, extending our reach and making our audiences more diverse. The public and scientists will value their shared experiences and our audiences will feel they know more about science, feel more confident in talking about it, seeing it as relevant to their lives and the world around them.”
Sir Richard Catlow, Chair of the Royal Institution, said: “With science permeating all areas of our lives, and offering potential solutions to many of the world’s greatest challenges, our founding principles to apply science to the common purposes of life are just as relevant today as they were in 1799.
“Our work is more vital than ever before, and as an independent charity we are dependent on raising funds to support our mission. So although ambitious, our new strategy is scalable and the more income we can secure, the bigger our impact will be. The Ri is a home for science and everyone is welcome.”
Among the approaches set out in the Ri’s strategy are a commitment to create ‘gateway’ programmes of relatable content to appeal to new audiences; a substantial increase in online engagement to reach a UK-wide and international audience; to work with cross-cultural partners to support science engagement in non-Ri spaces; to champion engagement through the Ri’s famous demonstrations; and to digitise to make its museum and collection more accessible to a non-expert, non-London audience.
A copy of the Ri Strategy, 2023 – 2028 is available to download from the Ri’s website.