IJPDS is very pleased to present this special issue on Public Involvement & Engagement.

We define Public Involvement & Engagement as a purposeful set of activities designed to enable an individual or an organisation to work with members of the public in a two-way arrangement. Activities typically focus on the general public/publics, but we include patients, practitioners and other relevant stakeholders within scope.

We refer to Public Involvement as activities in which individuals have a specific role such as being included as co-applicants on research proposals or as members of steering groups for strategic developments. We refer to Public Engagement as a broader two-way process of listening to, and interacting with, the public about research, particular developments or associated issues in order to take their views on board. Particular activities may be primarily one or the other, or include elements of both Public Involvement & Engagement.

This unique collection covers two main types of manuscript: the overarching approach an organisation takes to Public Involvement & Engagement; and research studies that have centred on Public Involvement & Engagement. Some of the manuscripts have been co-written by members of the public and so the language may differ from that of a standard academic article.

We very much hope readers will enjoy this special issue and see it as a valuable addition to the literature base. The special issue will remain open to new submissions so that further articles can be added in the future to continue building this resource.