Stakeholder engagement (SE) refers to the involvement of impacted communities and individuals
as partners in—rather than mere subjects of—research. Or, in other words: the active, iterative
process of “soliciting the knowledge, experience, judgment and values of [selected] individuals…
represent[ing] a broad range of direct interest in a particular issue.”
In the context of health research, there is a diverse range of SE models, ranging from consultations (requesting stakeholders’ input at
specific moments in the research process), to co-production (engaging stakeholders as
decision-makers throughout the research process). The more equitable the partnership, the less
control academics may have over the research process, timeline and results—but the greater the
potential for transformative impact