"By 2025, we will influence and improve the external environment to enable immunology to thrive and deliver positive outcomes for health."
Survey numbers for Catalysing Change - high level
'How clear is this core aim and description, where 5 = very clear?'
Respondent results:
5 = 10.5%
4 = 26.3%
3 = 31.6%
2 = 21.1%
1 = 5.3%
0 = 5.3%
Note - greater spread than the other two core aims.
'How important is this core aim, where 5 = very important?'
Respondent results:
5 = 36.8%
4 = 31.6%
3 = 21.1%
2 = 10.5%
Note - greater spread than the other two core aims.
Survey feedback for text
Click each title to view the written feedback.
Survey question: what does this core aim mean to you?
Survey question: how could the text of the core aim be improved?
Workshop results
What should or could be changed about the core area?
The groups were asked to work together and add their comments to a google form.
The feedback is below, grouped into similar areas.
What is external environment? Can we clarify succinctly? Funding environment?
A better term than external environment is needed?
Three external environments: publics, funders, policy makers?
Questions around what external environment is? (policy makers? lay people?)
We like the flexibility of the 'external environment' phrase.
We would advise to replace the external environment by government, the public and funders.
External environment, what does that mean exactly? Too broad
There are two distinct areas: public perception and influencing government
External engagement instead of environment (and with new stakeholders?)
Clearer external environment term - public, funding, govt etc
Should we give some specific objectives?
BSI could professionalise advocacy incl supporting media training
How do we define 'immunology thriving?' We discussed Covid with lay people being more informed and getting vaccinated, we also discussed Brexit and the work the BSI did around preserving science and access to European funding.
For us, immunology is at the core of what we all do. Though we need to maintain relevance and impact in translation
This aim should also consider education and work done within institutions.
We need to include influence education.
Encourage all undergraduate biology/school teaching as a core discipline
We agree that this is a core aim - members are supported through the BSI's work in influencing external parties.
We want to make the world a better place for immunologists so more funding
Who is it improving things for immunologists or the public?
Ending: To promote health through immunology
Too many different aims under the same section.
Policy, via professionalised advocacy.
Workshop results: vote on evolving the text
The group was asked to vote on the importance of potential changes. The results are as follow:
Catalysing Change commitments
We will do this by:
• Having demonstrable impact on public health, policy, practice and research funding issues important to immunology and our members
• Influencing public opinion and engagement in key immunology matters
• Maintaining the BSI as an internationally respected thought leader
Survey feedback for individual commitments
Click each title to view the feedback on each commitment.
Having demonstrable impact on public health, policy, practice and research funding issues important to immunology and our members
Influencing public opinion and engagement in key immunology matters
Maintaining the BSI as an internationally respected thought leader
Workshop 'balloon' exercise
Attendees were asked to add comments as follows:
For the balloon - positive impacts or results so far from this commitment
For the basket - anything they would add or take away.
The images below show the completed balloon sheets.
Discussion notes
...from balloon exercise
Survey results for commitments taken together, as a whole
10.5%...
...of respondents would add an additional commitment.
Suggestions summary:
- Building a network of key stakeholders to catalyse change in Immunology
- State how the BSI Is demonstrating impact
10.5%...
...of respondents believe one or more of the commitments is not vital.
Summary of feedback:
Maintaining the BSI as an internationally respected thought leadership - this is not vital, unless it is clarified what this actually means.
Order of importance
The respondents voted for the following order of importance, in terms of the commitments' impact on the core area of Championing Careers:
- Influencing public opinion and engagement in key immunology matters.
- Maintaining the BSI as an internationally respected thought leader.
- Having demonstrable impact on public health, policy, practice and research funding issues important to immunology and our members.
Workshop results for commitments together
Groups were asked, "TAKING THE COMMITMENTS TOGETHER, WHAT SHOULD BE ADDED, TAKEN AWAY, MOVED ELSEWHERE OR REJIGGED?"
The responses are below, grouped into similar areas.
How do we demonstrate that the BSI specifically impacted public health? Vaccine uptake example?
Remove "public health" from first point.
Instead of 'influencing' should be 'informing' public opinion.
BSI not just influencing but supporting members to influence.
Advising / informing the public instead of influencing
Separate public health from issues important to our members into two separate points OR keep issues important to our members in the first point and move public health in the second point
Commitment one should be broken down - too many areas here.
Helping attract international talent in immunology.
Should the journals be emphasised within these commitments? Perhaps through commentary piece opportunities (though NB not "counted" in journal metrics).
Remove "issues" from first point.
Conflict between the overall aim and the second point of how we'll get there (both about influencing and that can't be the goal and the way to get there) .
Maintain BSI as a national thought leader.
Thought leader is a good term, would not change it
Maintaining the BSI as the go to place for all things immunology related.
Thought leader or point of entry to understanding.
Thinking about use/ development of "tool kit" for outreach based on COVID experience to support members' outreach/ advocacy. Incl relevant media training.
Strengthen links with classical media/journals/bbc
Internationally will cascade naturally if the BSI is providing a great service.
What is the UK disease burden for ID and NCD with immune component?
Drop the last commitment.
Catalysing Change aims
- Build on our existing reputation to maintain our position as the ‘go to’ organisation for immunology matters
- Launch a BSI Campaigns Network to facilitate and increase membership engagement and mobilisation on policy matters
- Expand our innovative public engagement work to other sectors of immunology to increase public understanding and improve health
- Build on our partnerships in autoimmunity, cancer and veterinary immunology to attract new focus and funding to priority areas within immunology
- Deliver a journals strategy for existing and new publishing products to keep us at the forefront of global immunology innovation and research dissemination
- Build on our existing reputation to maintain our position as the ‘go to’ organisation for immunology matters
Survey results for aims
Ranking of aims in terms of impact so far
- Build on our existing reputation to maintain our position as the ‘go to’ organisation for immunology matters
- Expand our innovative public engagement work to other sectors of immunology to increase public understanding and improve health
- Deliver a journals strategy for existing and new publishing products to keep us at the forefront of global immunology innovation and research dissemination
- Launch a BSI Campaigns Network to facilitate and increase membership engagement and mobilisation on policy matters
- Build on our partnerships in autoimmunity, cancer and veterinary immunology to attract new focus and funding to priority areas within immunology
Ranking in terms of potential impact
- Build on our existing reputation to maintain our position as the ‘go to’ organisation for immunology matters
- Expand our innovative public engagement work to other sectors of immunology to increase public understanding and improve health
- Deliver a journals strategy for existing and new publishing products to keep us at the forefront of global immunology innovation and research dissemination
- Launch a BSI Campaigns Network to facilitate and increase membership engagement and mobilisation on policy matters
- Build on our partnerships in autoimmunity, cancer and veterinary immunology to attract new focus and funding to priority areas within immunology
- Build on our existing reputation to maintain our position as the ‘go to’ organisation for immunology matters
Survey feedback for aims
Click each title to view the written feedback.
Summary of suggestions for the aims
General feedback for aims
Workshop exercise on aims
Attendees were asked to add stickers to each aim, accorinding to whether they thought the aim had a positive impact and they want to keep it (smile), they weren't sure or were neutral, or they did not like the aim or didn't feel it should be continued (frown).
Smiley faces
AIMS with majority green
"Build on our existing reputation..."
"Expand our innovative public engagement work.."
"Deliver a journals strategy..."
(additional notes: 'new types of journals'; 'dissemination of approaches that catalyse change' ; 'help encourage industry publications')
Neutral
AIMS with majority yellow
"Build on our partnerships in autoimmunity"
(note also had 6 green stickers)
(additional notes: 'including ageing'; 'for the future')
Frowns
AIMS with majority red:
"Launch a BSI campaigns network..."
Workshop exercise - aims extras
Attendees were asked to think about whether additional aims should be added to this core area.
The grouped comments are below.
Workshop exercise - aims challenges
Attendees were asked to think about challenges for particular aims.
The comments are below.
