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UCL Research works to create the conditions that enable our world-leading research to thrive. Developing and informing policy is a key part of this.
Decisions made by policymakers, notably Government and research funders, play a significant role in shaping the environment in which UK research takes place.
The Research Policy team examines how policymakers’ decisions impact research at universities, spanning policy topics from R&D funding to research culture. This analysis feeds into our work to develop and advocate policies that benefit research at universities.
Our activities include submitting responses to parliamentary inquiries and Government consultations; developing position papers on issues of importance to UCL research; carrying out data analysis including on R&D funding; holding policy-focussed events; and engaging and collaborating with stakeholders such as funders and other research institutions.
Publications
- Policy papers
Regional policy and R&D, Report for HEPI, May 2021
Strength in Diversity – report by Graeme Reid and press release from Universities Wales, September 2020
Supporting UK Research, November 2019UCL Statement on Transparency in Research, November 2019
The Impact of QR funding for UK Research, February 2019
Principles for UK Research Institutes - summary and full paper, May 2018
- Responses to consultations and inquiries
People and skills in UK STEM, House of Lords Science and Technology Committee inquiry, September 2022
Delivering a UK science and technology strategy, House of Lords Science and Technology Committee inquiry, March 2022
Reproducibility and Research Integrity, House of Commons, Science, Innovation and Technology Committee inquiry, September 2021
A new UK research funding agency, Commons Science & Technology Committee inquiry, June 2020
How can UKRI stimulate local economies through placebased research funding? Research England consultation, November 2019
Future frameworks for international collaboration on research and innovation, Smith/Reid Review consultation, May 2019
- Articles
REF 2028: How do you measure culture? – Grace Gottlieb, July 2023
Transparency is the key to trusting researchers – Grace Gottlieb, June 2023
Levelling up research funding requires a fine balance – Sarah Chaytor, Grace Gottlieb and Graeme Reid, May 2021
Making regional R&D work – Sarah Chaytor, Grace Gottlieb and Graeme Reid, May 2021
It’s time for coordinated action to change research culture – Grace Gottlieb, May 2021
Local Investment and Global Performance - Graeme Reid, Grace Gottlieb and Sarah Chaytor, January 2021
The UK’s research funding boost must not overlook the overheads - Grace Gottlieb and Graeme Reid, March 2020
Why research transparency and reproducibility matter - Grace Gottlieb, January 2020
Innovation key to future prosperity - Graeme Reid, December 2019
The Research Policy Team
Grace Gottlieb  | Grace Gottlieb is Head of Research Policy and leads on policy development and advocacy of UCL’s positions. Since joining UCL in 2017, her work has focussed on areas including the financial sustainability of research, the regional distribution of R&D funding, transparency and reproducibility in research, and the intersection between research policy and research culture. In 2020 she was seconded to the Russell Group to lead a project on research culture. Before joining UCL, Grace worked at the Medical Research Council and, prior to that, in health policy at the Royal College of Surgeons. She has a BA in Natural Sciences, specialising in genetics, from the University of Cambridge. | |
Graeme Reid
| Professor Graeme Reid is Chair of Science and Research Policy at UCL. He spent most of his career at the interface between science and government, working in the Business Department, the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury before moving to UCL in 2014. In preparation for Brexit, Graeme and Sir Adrian Smith advised the UK Science Minister on frameworks for international collaboration in R&D. Government published their report in 2019. Graeme advised the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee during their extensive inquiries into Brexit and, more recently, industrial strategy. He led research policy reviews for the Scottish Funding Council, Welsh Government and Universities Wales. He is on the Board of the National Physical Laboratory and Chair of NPL’s Science and Technology Advisory Council. He is strategic advisor to the National Centre for Universities and Business. Previous appointments include chair of the Campaign for Science and Engineering, trustee of the Association of Medical Research Charities and member of the Council of CERN. Graeme began his career at the National Engineering Laboratory. He has a BSc in Physics and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Fellow of the Institute of Physics, Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology and a Chartered Engineer. | |
Sarah Chaytor
| Sarah Chaytor is UCL’s Director of Research Strategy & Policy. She joined the Office of the Vice-Provost (Research) in 2009 and established UCL Public Policy in 2012. Her current role includes overseeing the UCL Public Policy programme and building UCL’s capacity to engage with public policy, as well as advising the Vice-Provost on research strategy and other aspects of his portfolio, leading UCL’s research policy work, and managing strategic projects. She is a co-investigator and Co-Chair of the Project Delivery Group for the £10 million Capabilities in Academic-Policy Engagement project. Prior to joining UCL, Sarah worked as a research fellow at the Russell Group, leading work related to research funding and policy. She previously held research policy roles at the Wellcome Trust and Universities UK, and before that worked as a parliamentary researcher and for a think tank. She was a co-founder of UPEN, the Universities Policy Engagement Network, and is co-chair of the UPEN Futures Working Group. Sarah has a MA in Issues in Modern Culture from UCL and a BA in English Language and Literature from the University of Oxford. |
