The following criteria and process will apply to all event submissions (both those from University staff and students and those from external stakeholders) reviewed as part of the planning for Chester Festival of Ideas 2026.
Context
Strategic Aims
The University of Chester has developed the Chester Festival of Ideas concept to support the following long-term strategic aims:
- Develop existing and new relationships/networks with key local stakeholders in support of the growth and development of the University and the City
- Enhance the University’s reputation, both academically and as a local anchor institution
- Provide University staff, students and local stakeholders with a platform to showcase and celebrate their ideas, and to interact with the public
- Inspire and stimulate positive and constructive discussion and debate to add value to Chester’s image as a visitor destination via a diverse and accessible event portfolio
- Develop the University’s public engagement activity and practice in support of performance in relation to its Research and Knowledge Exchange priorities.
2026 Festival Objectives
Taking into consideration the long-term strategic aims and the findings from 2024 and 2025, the University seeks to achieve the following in 2026:
- Increase overall engagement/attendance
- Diversify attendee demographics
- Increase the number of interactive events in support of University research and knowledge exchange priorities
- Engage more schools (both as event leaders and attendees)
- Engage more community groups and local businesses
Process
Following the deadline for event submissions (4th March) the Festival of Ideas Team will collate and share all event submissions with the Festival Steering Group in advance of the meeting on 16th March.
At the meeting the Group will consider each event submission in turn, with the Chair inviting comments in relation to the criteria laid out in the next section of this document.
For each event submission the Group will aim to reach agreement that, either:
- the event should be included in the Festival programme;
- more detail is required in order for the Group to make a decision; or,
- the event should not be included in the Festival programme due to a clear breach of the Values (provided further below).
In the event that the Group cannot reach a consensus on an event, it will be escalated to the University’s Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation.
Following the meeting, the Team will consider how to schedule in all the events over the four days; this may require some negotiation with event submitters.
In the event that the Festival of Ideas Team receive (and the Group approves) more event submissions than it is possible to schedule in over the four days of the Festival, the Team will review each event in relation to the criteria detailed below, flagging any concerns.
The Team will then present to the Steering Group a revised events list for discussion and agreement.
In the event that the Group cannot reach a consensus, the issue will be escalated to University’s Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation.
During discussions, the Chair will remind Steering Group members of the following guidelines:
- If you have submitted an event, please don’t comment on your own submission during the meeting without noting your conflict of interest.
- Linked to above, please bear in mind when commenting on event submissions that the applicant may be present at the meeting.
All concerns raised about individual event submissions will be recorded by a member of the Festival of Ideas Team, for our records.
Values and Criteria
All events must adhere to the following Values (as per previous years); any event submissions that the Steering Group agree to be in opposition to one or more of these Values will not be accepted:
- No commercial agendas – we encourage event leaders to share details of their expertise and related work, and they are welcome to endorse any books or other products they may have as opportunities to engage further with the topic. However, the Festival of Ideas is designed for free events only and so we cannot accept events designed to make a commercial profit or where the primary focus of your event is selling a product or service or to ask for funding.
- No hate speech or extremist views – event leaders are encouraged to be honest about their beliefs and we encourage respectful and balanced debate and discussion. We will not tolerate events or event leaders that promote hate or extremism.
- No bad science – references should be available if requested for claims made during an event at the Festival. Studies cited should be published in peer-reviewed, respected journals and based on theories considered credible by experts in the field.
Following application of the above criteria, if there remain more events than can be accommodated, the following criteria will be used for discussion by the Steering Group and notes of these discussions recorded by the Festival Team:
- Does the event align with and help to deliver our Festival Objectives for 2026 (as detailed further above)?
- Are there any concerns about the accessibility of the event?
- Are there any additional costs associated with the event?
- Considering diversity across the whole Festival programme, does the event bring a new and distinct idea/topic/delivery model?
- Did the event (or similar) take place last year: if yes, was it well attended?
- Does the event/event leader have an established/existing audience?
- Will the event likely attract the desired audience size?
- Has the person submitted more than one event?
Addressing Complaints and Concerns
In the first instance please direct any concerns about this process to the Festival of Ideas Team IdeasFestival@chester.ac.uk