ANVUR - the Italian National Agency for the Evaluation of Universities and Research Institutes - defines Public Engagement as the set of non-profit activities with educational, cultural and societal development value that universities and their departments carry out to communicate and share the activities and benefits of Higher Education and research with civil society.

Activities falling under this heading are specified as follows:

• Publications by teaching staff at national or international level
• Participations by teaching staff in radio and television broadcasts at national or international level
• Active participation in public meetings organised by other bodies (e.g. science cafes, festivals, science fairs, etc.)
• Organisation of public events (e.g. Researchers' Night, open days)
• Publications (print and digital) for external audiences (e.g. university magazine)
• Communication training days (aimed at teaching or technical/administrative staff)
• Interactive and/or informational websites, blogs

• Use of museums, hospitals, sports facilities, libraries, theatres, historic university buildings by the community 
• Organisation of concerts, exhibitions and other public benefit events open to the community
• Participation in the design of public interest programmes (policy-making)
• Participation in committees to define technical standards and norms
• Health protection initiatives (e.g. information and prevention days)
• Initiatives for urban or land development projects in cooperation with other organisations 
• Orientation and interaction initiatives with high schools, work experience/placement during term time
• Outreach initiatives aimed at children and young people
• Participatory democracy initiatives (e.g. consensus conferences, citizen panels)

Having invested in Third Mission activities in the social, cultural and educational fields, the University of Foggia has joined the ‘Network of Universities and Research Centres for Public Engagement’ (Network degli Atenei e dei Centri di Ricerca per il Public Engagement - APEnet), coordinated by the University of Turin. APEnet aims to disseminate, promote and enhance the culture and good practices in Public Engagement actions, supporting them and facilitating their institutionalisation process in Italian Universities and Research Centres.

University Public Engagement activities are monitored in accordance with the methods envisaged by ANVUR, contributing to the enhancement of academic results in the social sphere and strengthening the link between university activities and the interests of the various external stakeholders.