Finding balance in the triple nexus of research, teaching and public engagement

This study explores the perspectives of lecturers teaching STEM disciplines to undergraduates across Scottish universities. Its central aim was to examine how teaching practice draws on the theories of Wilhelm vin Humboldt and how this might support the student-as-producer mode of knowledge creation by extending the traditional Teaching-Research nexus to explicitly include public engagement as a third, integrative pillar of scholarship. Adopting an interpretative phenomenological analysis framework, the study utilised qualitative interviews and autoethnographic reflections to elicit the lived experiences of participating lecturers. Findings reveal a shared understanding among participants that the limited timescale of undergraduate programmes often restricts the meaningful development of research skills, even by the Honours year. Barriers such as complex ethical approval processes, funding limitations, and the pressures of an individual lecturer’s research capacity further hinder the integration of authentic research opportunities into undergraduate curricula. This was most apparent in post-92 universities. Nevertheless, participants suggested some "off-the-peg" models such as broad-based research skills modules introduced at the school-university transition and live briefs embedded in ongoing research projects can offer promising avenues for engaging students in knowledge production. Importantly, the study highlights the transformative potential of public engagement to spark scientific curiosity and enrich pedagogical approaches. However, embedding PE as a formal third mission of the university requires a reimagining of institutional priorities, ensuring that such ambitions do not negatively impact lecturer wellbeing, teaching responsibilities, or personal research trajectories. Lecturers with formal postgraduate teaching qualifications or sustained CPD demonstrated a greater capacity to integrate public engagement into their practice, suggesting the importance of continued support and funding for professional development.