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Are you interested in taking part in a fellowship programme? Here's some key takeaways and messages to remember about UCL Public Policy's fellowship programme
1. Key message: UCL PP can support researchers in engaging with policymakers and policy professionals
Myth/challenge: I want to understand how to work with policy organisations but I don’t know where to start when engaging with them?
Fellowships offer researchers the unique opportunity to embed themselves within policy organisations to develop strong and enduring relationships and partnerships. We encourage Policy Hosts to actively promote the Fellow within their networks, helping to expand both the Fellow's and the host's connections with local and national policy partners. For more insights on how Policy Fellowships enhance researchers' policy networks, please refer to our Guide or video.
2. Key message: UCL PP can support researchers to have broader/greater impact
Myth/challenge: I have some experience of engaging with policymakers but I want to have greater impact.
Fellowships produce a wide range of outcomes, some of which were agreed in the project scope while others are more surprising. We work with Fellows and Policy Hosts to ensure Fellowships are impactful for both parties but lay the foundation for future engagement and policy impact. For more insights on how we have supported impact through Fellowships, please refer to our key stats infographic.
3. Key message: Academic-policy engagement is important and worth supporting
Myth/Challenge: “If my team members do a Fellowship, my team will suffer from loss of resources and capabilities.”
Academics who do Fellowships bring back to UCL enhanced networks, opportunities and learnings which directly benefit their students and colleagues. Previous fellows have enabled their students to collaborate with their Policy Host on mutually beneficial projects and created important links between policy professionals and their colleagues. UCL Public Policy covers the Fellows salary, enabling teams to find cover for teaching or research. For more insights on the legacy of Fellowships, please refer to our guide.
4. Key message: We provide effective support and advice for academics
Myth/Challenge: “I don’t understand the process for being seconded and I am worried about doing it on my own.”
UCL Public Policy provides comprehensive support to Fellows throughout the entire process, from recruitment and onboarding to the completion of the Fellowship. Our ongoing engagement includes regular check-ins, evaluations, and assistance with public outreach, as well as exploring opportunities for future collaboration with you and your policy host. For more information on the Fellowship journey and how we support you, please refer to our Guide or video.
5. Key message: Academic-policy engagement is an important institutional agenda which RIGE champions
Myth/Challenge: "I am an academic on the teaching track and do not have time that I need and desire to do any academic-policy engagement experience".
Academic-policy engagement is a key institutional priority that RIGE actively champions. We recognise that engaging in this space requires significant resources, which is why we allocate a substantial portion of our funding to support academics. This funding is designed to buy out your time from teaching or research commitments. Our Fellowships are offered on a flexible, full- or part-time basis, allowing you to balance them with your ongoing teaching or research responsibilities. To see how we have allocated funding, please refer to our key stats infographic.
6. Key message: We serve all UCL and can help enhance their networks and each other
Myth/Challenge: "I understand that UCL Public Policy may not currently be aligned with my department's focus. Given that my research is interdisciplinary, I am eager to connect with colleagues from various fields across the university and explore potential collaborations with policy organisations."
At UCL Public Policy, we are committed to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and engaging with a diverse range of research disciplines. We are actively working to expand the reach of our Fellowship programme and support disciplines and demographics that may have been underrepresented in the past. Our Fellowship Programme offers excellent opportunities for fellows to integrate their work within both UCL and policy organisations, facilitating meaningful connections and collaborative efforts.
7. Key Message: We're working in collaboration with faculty brokerage functions and not in competition.
Myth/Challenge: "I currently work with my faculty policy lead and an impact manager, so I’m curious to understand how collaborating with UCL Public Policy would complement these existing roles.”
UCL Public Policy serves the entire university, providing a comprehensive overview of the research and engagement activities taking place across all faculties and departments. This positions us to collaborate with your faculty or department to align efforts, promote interdisciplinary work, and strengthen existing networks through our partnerships. We are committed to fostering collaboration, reducing duplication, and continuously learning from one another to improve our collective approach. For further insights on how we work with professional services staff across faculties, please refer to our Guide and Infographic.
Key Message: UCL has world leading research and evidence that can help you do your job/achieve your objective
Myth/Challenge: "As a policy professional, I already incorporate evidence into my policymaking process. Could you help me understand how engaging with UCL could further support or enhance my work?”
By being embedded within a policy organisation, fellows can expect to gain a rich understanding of how a policy organisation works, how they use research in the policy making process. Fellowships encourage longer more strategic partnerships between researchers and policy professionals by building trust and mutual understanding and networks where both parties can mutually benefit from collaboration.
Key Message: UCL PP has extensive knowledge and understanding of UCL's research and its culture and can help broker this expertise to them
Myth/Challenge: "As a policy professional, I find the vast breadth and diversity of knowledge across UCL to be both exciting and overwhelming. I'm unsure where to begin in accessing the relevant people and expertise available.”
We understand that it is challenging to navigate the different environment of research which is why we have created mechanisms which make this process easier. Fellowship offer a helpful template for sustained engagement and understanding for the future of how university systems work. We help Policy Partners to understand their scoping out a potential fellowship project.
Key Message: UCL is committed to and has dedicated capacity and expertise in academic-policy engagement
Myth/Challenge: “I’ve recently come across UCL Public Policy’s Fellowship Programme – is it a new initiative?"
Since 2011 UCL Public Policy has facilitated more than 100 Policy Fellowships. To see how UCL has increasingly dedicated and developed expertise in facilitating Policy Fellowships, please refer to our key stats infographic.
If you're interested in taking part in a fellowship or hosting a fellows and want to learn more details, please email Dr Alice Tofts, Policy Fellowships Coordinator.