Pola Berent, Department for Transport

Pola had the opportunity to interact with a variety of stakeholders, including Transport for London (TfL), Local Authorities, and lobbying organisations.

22 August 2016

““During my Fellowship I learnt more about the policy formulation process. It also helped me develop additional networks of contacts, which have proven extremely helpful in my academic research.”

What was your Fellowship about?

During my Fellowship, I developed new targets for cycling and walking uptake based on robust analysis, modelling, and forecasting. The results were presented to a meeting with the Sustainable Accessible Transport Division at the Department for Transportation (DfT). This work provided an objective overview that highlighted the weaknesses and strengths of a variety of scenarios to inform decision-making for the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS). I also had the opportunity to interact with a variety of stakeholders, including Transport for London (TfL), Local Authorities, and lobbying organisations.

I also produced a note to the Treasury focused on an analysis of financial resources available versus financial resources necessary to meet the targets of the CWIS at different milestones.

What skills and experience did you gain?

Considering that my research involves working with DfT guidance documents, it was very helpful to learn about the guideline development process first-hand. I have also learned about policy formulation from a variety of perspectives, through working with different teams and interacting with a range of professionals. It was invaluable to witness research being put into practice with the aim of promoting active travel in the UK. I was extremely lucky to work with a wonderful team, who were all very supportive and helpful.

Overall I have gained a better understanding of how central government works, enabling me to better engage with the public sector in the future. I was also able to further refine and establish new skills in modelling, data analysis and forecasting.

What surprised you most?

I was really surprised by how complex the policy formulation process is! There are multiple levels of decision-making involved with the development of any policy. I was also surprised at the depth of analysis that is expected before any decision is made, even the ones that appear small.

What would you say to other UCL researchers considering a policy placement?

I would definitely recommend academics interested in a policy placement to do one. It is a great way to learn about strategic networking and gain a better understanding of the policymaking process. Depending on your field, it might also inspire you to come up with additional implications and applications for your research, and hence bring a new dimension to your academic work.