Introducing the 2025 Knowledge Broker Academy Cohort

Designed to bridge the gap between research and policymaking, the KBA programme equips participants with the skills and tools to effectively mobilise knowledge. The KBA aims to foster meaningful academic-policy engagement and greater inclusivity in knowledge mobilisation spaces and activities. Through Research England QR-PSF and UKRI IAA funding, this year’s cohort will be supported in strengthening academic-policy connections across disciplines.

While motivation for academic-policy engagement is high among researchers, professional services staff, and policymakers, it does not always translate into the necessary capabilities or opportunities. The Knowledge Broker Academy helps to address this by providing a programme that is both tailored and flexible, in which participants develop their understanding of policy impact and engagement in a peer-supported setting. 

At UCL Public Policy, we believe in a ‘learning by doing’ approach to training, equipping colleagues with practical skills to enhance their policy knowledge and engagement. We are delighted to welcome the 2025 Knowledge Broker Academy cohort and support them in bridging the gap between research and public policy."

Dr Olivia Stevenson, Deputy Director of UCL Public Policy 

After a competitive selection process, 8 fantastic participants have been onboarded to the second iteration of the programme. They are: 

Dr Elin Arfon, Research Fellow, UCL's Institute of Education for the National Consortium for Languages Education (NCLE), UCL Institute of Education: Culture, Communication and Media 

Dr Jhono Bennett, Lecturer in Design, The Bartlett School of Architecture 

Professor Alison Clark-Wilson, Professorial Research Fellow, IOE Faculty of Education and Society, Department of Culture, Communication and Media 

Dr Tommaso Gabrieli, Associate Professor in Real Estate, The Bartlett School of Planning 

Linwei Li, Education Administrator, Faculty of Population Health Sciences, Global Business School for Health 

Dr Beth Malory, Lecturer in English Linguistics, English Language and Literature, Faculty of Arts and Humanities 

Elena Proffitt, Research Assistant, Faculty of Population Health, EGA Institute for Women's Health, NIHR Policy Research Unit in Reproductive Health 

Dr Adrienn Tomor, Associate Professor in Engineering Design and Construction, The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction 

Like the 2024 programme, this year’s participants represent both professional services staff and researchers, across a range of career stages, and from a variety of UCL’s faculties. They also represent a rich diversity of expertise; for example, they bring knowledge in areas such as the language of pregnancy loss in healthcare settings, sustainable housing, EdTech in industry-academia collaborations, and many more. 

The participants are undertaking a flexible and varied programme which combines self-directed learning, bespoke training, engagement with policy professionals, peer learning, and one-on-one guidance from UCL Public Policy’s team of knowledge mobilisers. 

Speaking on the programme, Dr Sinéad Murphy, Policy Engagement Coordinator said:

In the same way that the role of the researcher or of the professional service staff member is mapped out in careers frameworks and ways of working, it is necessary to identify the array of skills, knowledge and experience that knowledge brokerage entails – and to create ways for staff to learn and practice these. The KBA programme works to meet this need and to support greater inclusivity in academic-policy engagement across all career stages, protected characteristics and disciplines."

To engage with the KBA programme and participants, or to find out more about this initiative, please contact Dr Sinéad Murphy, Policy Engagement Coordinator (sinead.e.murphy@ucl.ac.uk).