Paperback
How to Engage Policy Makers with Your Research
The Art of Informing and Impacting Policy
9781035322107 Edward Elgar Publishing
Increasingly, academics are finding that engaging with external stakeholders can be both fruitful in undertaking research and an effective way to impact policy. With insightful and practical advice from a diverse range of contributors, including academics, policy makers, civil servants and knowledge exchange professionals, this accessible book explores How to Engage Policy Makers with Your Research.
More Information
Critical Acclaim
Contributors
Contents
More Information
Increasingly, academics are finding that engaging with external stakeholders can be both fruitful in undertaking research and an effective way to impact policy. With insightful and practical advice from a diverse range of contributors, including academics, policy makers, civil servants and knowledge exchange professionals, this accessible book explores How to Engage Policy Makers with Your Research.
With a practical focus, this book combines an array of real-life experiences and insights from the perspectives of both academics and policy makers who are experienced in informing and impacting policy. The book comprehensively illustrates how academics can more effectively engage with policy makers through a range of interdisciplinary insights and case studies. The book explores the value of research for policy, as well as modes of engagement with policy for researchers across the various stages of their career.
Providing practical insights to seize the opportunity of engaging policy makers in research, this innovative book will be an excellent resource for social science academics as well as policy makers looking to benefit from academic research insights. The book provides a better understanding of how the worlds of academics and policy makers can come together to realise greater policy impact from research expertise.
With a practical focus, this book combines an array of real-life experiences and insights from the perspectives of both academics and policy makers who are experienced in informing and impacting policy. The book comprehensively illustrates how academics can more effectively engage with policy makers through a range of interdisciplinary insights and case studies. The book explores the value of research for policy, as well as modes of engagement with policy for researchers across the various stages of their career.
Providing practical insights to seize the opportunity of engaging policy makers in research, this innovative book will be an excellent resource for social science academics as well as policy makers looking to benefit from academic research insights. The book provides a better understanding of how the worlds of academics and policy makers can come together to realise greater policy impact from research expertise.
Critical Acclaim
‘There is a growing interest in improving academic policy engagement in the UK and internationally. However, we still have a lot to learn about how to do this work better. This book provides a novel contribution, with authors drawn from UK government, parliament, research funders and academia. It focuses on three key areas: how academics articulate the value and relevance of research to policy, the different ways in which academic-policy engagement occur and how research impacts upon policy. The contributors bring a vast amount of experience to bear on these topics and as such help to move forward our thinking on how academic-policy engagement might help to promote the use of research to support policy making.’
– Annette Boaz and Kathryn Oliver, Transforming Evidence and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK
‘All too often it seems that researchers “are from Mars and policy makers from Venus.” In other words, policy researchers hope for their research to be useful to policy makers, and policy makers value the insights from policy researchers, but all too often they talk past another. How to Engage Policy Makers is a long overdue book that provides a valuable handbook for researchers on how to bridge that gap and increase the odds that the results of their research will be of value to policy makers.’
– Robert D. Atkinson, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, US
‘While the book is titled How to Engage Policy Makers with Your Research, it is the subtitle The Art of Informing and Impacting Policy that speaks to its value. The key words being art and impact. This book assembles the experience of 41 such experts, academics, funders and policy authors, to illustrate how the nexus of research and policy is an art that can maximize the potential of your next research-policy engagement.’
– David J. Phipps, York University, Canada
‘The need for the academic community to contribute to policy dialogue, and for policymakers to seek expert advice, has never been more obvious. This book is a highly relevant collection of insights and advice for all those who would like to see better policies, better evidenced, in all walks of life.’
– Phil Clare, University of Oxford, UK
‘Knowledge Exchange practitioners should gain a greater sense of purpose and pride from reading this book, which recognises the particular skills set needed to build sustainable and diverse policy-research relationships. Far from a dry theory of knowledge exchange, this is insightful sharing of practice from people working on the frontlines of academic-policy engagement and who understand the challenges and opportunities such activity offers.’
– Tamsin Mann, PraxisAuril, UK
– Annette Boaz and Kathryn Oliver, Transforming Evidence and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK
‘All too often it seems that researchers “are from Mars and policy makers from Venus.” In other words, policy researchers hope for their research to be useful to policy makers, and policy makers value the insights from policy researchers, but all too often they talk past another. How to Engage Policy Makers is a long overdue book that provides a valuable handbook for researchers on how to bridge that gap and increase the odds that the results of their research will be of value to policy makers.’
– Robert D. Atkinson, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, US
‘While the book is titled How to Engage Policy Makers with Your Research, it is the subtitle The Art of Informing and Impacting Policy that speaks to its value. The key words being art and impact. This book assembles the experience of 41 such experts, academics, funders and policy authors, to illustrate how the nexus of research and policy is an art that can maximize the potential of your next research-policy engagement.’
– David J. Phipps, York University, Canada
‘The need for the academic community to contribute to policy dialogue, and for policymakers to seek expert advice, has never been more obvious. This book is a highly relevant collection of insights and advice for all those who would like to see better policies, better evidenced, in all walks of life.’
– Phil Clare, University of Oxford, UK
‘Knowledge Exchange practitioners should gain a greater sense of purpose and pride from reading this book, which recognises the particular skills set needed to build sustainable and diverse policy-research relationships. Far from a dry theory of knowledge exchange, this is insightful sharing of practice from people working on the frontlines of academic-policy engagement and who understand the challenges and opportunities such activity offers.’
– Tamsin Mann, PraxisAuril, UK
Contributors
Contributors: Syahirah Abdul Rahman, Vicki Belt, Rowena Bermingham, Annette Bramley, Sarah Chaytor, Dan Chedgzoy, Simon Collinson, Ekkehard Ernst, Sarah Foxen, Lucy Gavens, Cristian Gherhes, Mary Gogarty, Anne Green, Lisa Hanselmann, Clementine Hill O’Connor, Heidi Hinder, Dan Hodges, Ima Jackson, Debbie Johnson, Katy Jones, Melanie Knetsch, Helen Lawton Smith, Adam Luqmani, Eoin McFadden, Anand Menon, Geeta Nathan, Jen Nelles, Raquel Ortega-Argilés, Alice Owen, Monder Ram, Graeme Reid, Rebecca Riley, David Christian Rose, Jill Rutter, Lauren Tuckerman, Chris Tyler, Matjaz Vidmar, Tim Vorley, Phil Wallace, Judy Wasige, Sarah Weakley
Contents
Contents:
PART I UNDERSTANDING THE NEED AND
ARTICULATING THE OFFER
1 Introduction to How to Engage Policy Makers with Your
Research 2
Syahirah Abdul Rahman, Lauren Tuckerman, Tim Vorley
and Phil Wallace
2 What do policymakers want from researchers? Developing
better understanding of a complex landscape 10
Graeme Reid and Sarah Chaytor
3 The value of research evidence for policy 28
David Christian Rose and Chris Tyler
4 Speaking a shared language 38
Sarah Foxen and Rowena Bermingham
5 From broadcast to engagement: moving beyond traditional
mechanisms 50
Anand Menon and Jill Rutter
6 Between disciplines and perspectives: ACT as
a PERIpatetic researcher 61
Matjaz Vidmar
7 Co-producing policy relevant research 73
Clementine Hill O’Connor, Lucy Gavens, Dan Chedgzoy
and Mary Gogarty
8 Developing and delivering university consortia 83
Annette Bramley
9 When worlds collide: the role of the funder in connecting
research and policy 94
Melanie Knetsch and Lauren Tuckerman
PART II MODES OF ENGAGEMENT
10 Critical friends – real time insights for shaping strategy 104
Debbie Johnson, Geeta Nathan and Syahirah Abdul Rahman
11 Designing and delivering targeted policy engagement events 113
Sarah Weakley
12 Collaborative doctoral research 124
Tim Vorley and Cristian Gherhes
13 Doing and making the most of PhD internships 136
Lauren Tuckerman
14 Enabling collaboration and building capacity through
research networks 146
Phil Wallace, Heidi Hinder, Adam Luqmani and Lisa Hanselmann
15 Mission research: experiences from participation in OECD
entrepreneurship policy research projects 154
Helen Lawton Smith
16 Intersectional Anti-Racist Academic Activism for
Policy-making (INTARAAP) through community engagement 164
Ima Jackson and Judy Wasige
17 Commissioned research 175
Dan Hodges and Syahirah Abdul Rahman
PART III EXAMPLES OF INFORMING, INFLUENCING
AND IMPACTING POLICY
18 Engaging with policy makers in emerging markets 185
Ekkehard Ernst
19 The City-Region Economic Development Institute –
establishing a successful place-based research institute to
support regions in turbulent times and beyond 196
Rebecca Riley, Simon Collinson, Anne Green and Raquel
Ortega-Argilés
20 Impacting small business policy: the Enterprise Research Centre 207
Vicki Belt
21 Impacting policy thinking through partnership: insights
from Northern Ireland 217
Jen Nelles, Tim Vorley and Eoin McFadden
22 Critical engagement in diversity and entrepreneurship:
lessons from the Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority
Entrepreneurship 229
Monder Ram
23 Supporting policy towards sustainability 241
Alice Owen
24 How to win friends and influence policy: a guide for new
researchers 249
Katy Jones
Index 259
PART I UNDERSTANDING THE NEED AND
ARTICULATING THE OFFER
1 Introduction to How to Engage Policy Makers with Your
Research 2
Syahirah Abdul Rahman, Lauren Tuckerman, Tim Vorley
and Phil Wallace
2 What do policymakers want from researchers? Developing
better understanding of a complex landscape 10
Graeme Reid and Sarah Chaytor
3 The value of research evidence for policy 28
David Christian Rose and Chris Tyler
4 Speaking a shared language 38
Sarah Foxen and Rowena Bermingham
5 From broadcast to engagement: moving beyond traditional
mechanisms 50
Anand Menon and Jill Rutter
6 Between disciplines and perspectives: ACT as
a PERIpatetic researcher 61
Matjaz Vidmar
7 Co-producing policy relevant research 73
Clementine Hill O’Connor, Lucy Gavens, Dan Chedgzoy
and Mary Gogarty
8 Developing and delivering university consortia 83
Annette Bramley
9 When worlds collide: the role of the funder in connecting
research and policy 94
Melanie Knetsch and Lauren Tuckerman
PART II MODES OF ENGAGEMENT
10 Critical friends – real time insights for shaping strategy 104
Debbie Johnson, Geeta Nathan and Syahirah Abdul Rahman
11 Designing and delivering targeted policy engagement events 113
Sarah Weakley
12 Collaborative doctoral research 124
Tim Vorley and Cristian Gherhes
13 Doing and making the most of PhD internships 136
Lauren Tuckerman
14 Enabling collaboration and building capacity through
research networks 146
Phil Wallace, Heidi Hinder, Adam Luqmani and Lisa Hanselmann
15 Mission research: experiences from participation in OECD
entrepreneurship policy research projects 154
Helen Lawton Smith
16 Intersectional Anti-Racist Academic Activism for
Policy-making (INTARAAP) through community engagement 164
Ima Jackson and Judy Wasige
17 Commissioned research 175
Dan Hodges and Syahirah Abdul Rahman
PART III EXAMPLES OF INFORMING, INFLUENCING
AND IMPACTING POLICY
18 Engaging with policy makers in emerging markets 185
Ekkehard Ernst
19 The City-Region Economic Development Institute –
establishing a successful place-based research institute to
support regions in turbulent times and beyond 196
Rebecca Riley, Simon Collinson, Anne Green and Raquel
Ortega-Argilés
20 Impacting small business policy: the Enterprise Research Centre 207
Vicki Belt
21 Impacting policy thinking through partnership: insights
from Northern Ireland 217
Jen Nelles, Tim Vorley and Eoin McFadden
22 Critical engagement in diversity and entrepreneurship:
lessons from the Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority
Entrepreneurship 229
Monder Ram
23 Supporting policy towards sustainability 241
Alice Owen
24 How to win friends and influence policy: a guide for new
researchers 249
Katy Jones
Index 259
