Impacts

Read more about how the Policy Impact Unit's work has influenced policy.

Our definition of policy impact is “research evidence or expert opinion that informs the development, implementation or evaluation of policy”. We make a distinction between activities (the things that we do) and impacts (the effects on policy that our activities might have in the short- medium- and long-term).

Here you can find a list of example activities and impacts, and indicators by which we can monitor our success.

Some examples of impacts that have come about following our engagement activities are:

Gender and the Internet of Things

• Dr Leonie Tanczer gave oral evidence to the DCMS Select Committee for their inquiry ‘Connected tech: smart or sinister?’ Her comments were reported in the Times and Tech Monitor.
• Research material was included in a briefing compiled by the Chief of Staff for the Domestic Abuse Commissioner. 
• Dr Tanczer was invited to give a briefing on tech abuse to staff in the Office of the Domestic Abuse Commissioner. 
• The National Crime Agency requested a tech abuse briefing and meeting with Dr Tanczer as part of their new Digital Strategy on Violence Against Women & Girls.

Dawes Centre for Future Crime

• Our briefing on the security of consumer IoT, produced with Prof Shane Johnson (SCS) was cited in the explanatory notes to the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill.
• Media coverage of our briefing on AI and crime in The Telegraph, The Independent, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Daily Record and Daily Star

Future Targeted Healthcare Manufacturing Hub

• Hub researcher Nishma Patel was appointed to the NHS AAC expert group on data infrastructure for implementation of new advanced therapeutic medicinal products (ATMPs) 
• Professor Suzy Farid’s work was cited in the 100 Days Mission Report to G7 Leaders on reducing the impact of future pandemics. 
• The Hub was invited to take part in a Parliamentary roundtable on the future of cell and gene therapies. 

Institute for Healthcare Engineering

• An APPG report on The Fourth Industrial Revolution Response to COVID-19 included a case study about the work led by Prof Rebecca Shipley on Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Ventura Devices. 

Research Institute for Sociotechnical Cyber Security (RISCS)

• Professor Madeline Carr was invited to provide oral evidence to the Commons Bill Committee and was quoted by the Shadow Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Minister Chris Elmore on the floor of the House in the subsequent debate on the Bill.
• We worked with Lord Clement-Jones to table an amendment based on Professor Carr’s evidence to the Bill in the Lords Committee stage with the intention of raising the issue of the need for increased security measures in products that are used by children. In response, the Minister gave an assurance that security requirements would be designed with full consideration for the security of children.
• We were contacted (unprompted) by staff at the Home Office requesting expert input from RISCS team. 

Plastic Waste Innovation Hub

• Professor Mark Miodownik invited to give oral evidence to the EFRA Select Committee inquiry on ‘Plastic Waste’. Prof Miodownik was quoted in the committee’s report and the Hub's written evidence was also cited.

Vax-Hub

• Our policy briefings on developing vaccines and manufacturing vaccines were both cited in a POSTnote on advances in vaccine technologies. The briefings were also used to educate civil servants involved in the vaccine task force and Covid-19 response.
• The Vax-Hub were invited to take part in a UK-CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) Vaccine Manufacturing Roundtable, hosted by CEPI in collaboration with BEIS, FCDO and the DHSC.  
• Professor Martina Micheletti was invited to speak at a UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) world investment forum meeting and to take part in the WHO World Local Production Forum.
• Professor Martina Micheletti was invited to contribute to POSTnote (Parliamentary briefing note) on vaccine development technologies.