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Bridging the gap between Westminster and Academia for Policy-Informed Research 

19 June 2024

UCL Public Policy is proud to launch a new pilot fellowship programme.

parliament

Sixteen parliamentary staff members are stepping out of Westminster this June and into UCL’s research departments as part of a pilot fellowship programme led by UCL Public Policy.  

During the pre-election period, restrictions on the formation of new policies give parliamentary staff the freedom to engage in other activities, such as academic-policy collaboration. The programme aims to promote better collaboration and understanding between UK Parliament and UCL researchers subsequently leading to more policy-informed research and evidence-informed policy making.  

Parliamentary staff from across the House of Commons, including the Library, Select Committees, and the Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology (POST), are embedded across a range UCL’s research centres, and contributing towards a diverse collection of projects ranging from prison education to real estate economics.   

The collaboration harnesses the extensive expertise from both the UK Parliament and UCL, fostering stronger relationships between academia and policy. For example, a fellow from the House of Commons Library is joining UCL’s Psychology and Human Development department to work on a project focused on education for mental health and wellbeing. Another, a specialist from the Business and Trade Committee, will be embedded within UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources to explore the history and future of copper as an ethical and sustainable material for the green transition. 

Fellows are engaging in various activities, including primary research such as data analysis, collaborating on existing projects from a policy perspective, and co-producing secondary and primary research aligned with government priorities. They are also attending and leading seminars and lectures, contributing to workshops and roundtables, and co-producing research and policy-relevant guidelines and reports. This pilot programme aims to identify the needs and opportunities for parliamentary knowledge exchange activities and determine how UCL Public Policy can best support these initiatives moving forward. 

To find out more about UCL Public Policy’s Fellowship Programme, visit our website