Designed for senior policymakers and decision-makers from government and the third sector, the IPR Policy Fellowship Programme offers you the opportunity to explore your policy questions or challenges through a bespoke programme of tailored meetings with leading academics based at the University of Bath.

Through the IPR Policy Fellowship Programme, senior policy and decision-makers can connect with University of Bath academics helping to address policy challenges via two-way conversations. Structured around tailored, one-to-one or group cohort meetings, the programme is delivered in a hybrid format, allowing you to participate either in-person or online.

In addition to our flagship Policy Fellowship Programme — through which policymakers can apply to connect with academics across topics — newly launched specialist policy fellowship streams for Health, Net Zero and AI, drawing on the University’s research strengths, enable policymakers to connect with academics working on these specialist areas.

The IPR Policy Fellowship Programme is free to participate in.

The University of Bath is home to cutting-edge research and interdisciplinary expertise which informs key areas of policy.

Drawing on the insights of our experts forms an important part of the Policy Fellowship experience. Our research informs new approaches to organisational management and service delivery, enhances professional practice and supports changes in policy formation and delivery.

Engaging with our academics will inspire you with new ideas and perspectives to help drive innovation; apply new tools, models and frameworks; and advance the ways in which policy is developed and delivered.

Our Policy Fellowship Programme is free, and our team will be able to facilitate future meetings, networking or collaborations with our academic experts, following your initial Fellowship meetings.

In choosing Bath, you will also gain access to our Library resources, which includes online access to journals, and join an active, global policy alumni network with invitations to our exclusive networking events and webinar series.

"We really enjoyed our visit to Bath. It was fascinating to meet a wide range of academics to discuss how we can do academic-policy engagement in general. We really appreciated everyone’s openness in sharing their experiences and views which enabled us to have such stimulating and thought-provoking discussions.

"It was particularly helpful to speak to people at such differing stages of their career which helped us to understand how the challenges change throughout an academic’s career."

Sarah Steiner and Jo Foreman

Head of Science Networks, Systems and Capability, Government Office for Science.

IPR Policy Fellowship Programme, 2024

If you are successful in your application to be part of the IPR Policy Fellowship Programme, you will be matched with academics from the University whose research and expertise aligns with your specific policy challenge(s).

We will take time to talk to you and understand your motivations and interests in taking part and will ask you to distil between six and eight policy questions or areas of interest. We will use this to create a bespoke programme of one-to-one meetings with University of Bath academics in-person on campus, or online via Teams or Zoom.

Not all academics you meet with will be working directly in your area and we may recommend you meet academics on the boundaries of one or more of your questions – for example, they may have addressed the issue in relation to a different policy area, but where examples of key learnings can be drawn.

All academics will be able to engage in a thought-provoking discussion to stimulate your thinking.

What to expect?

To ensure the programme is right for you, the IPR team will arrange an initial discussion to learn more about your areas of interest and your motivations for taking part. We will also ask you to prepare policy questions around which you would like to focus discussions and ask you to prepare a short biography.

Using your questions or area of focus, we will then arrange a series of 40 to 60-minute meetings. We will work with you to arrange a suitable time to visit us, or to connect with our academics remotely.

How to apply

You can apply for the IPR Policy Fellowship Programme individually, or as a group (e.g., a team from the same Department or organisation).

For an informal conversation about the programme, or to register your interest to take part, please contact Johanna Meyer (IPR Policy Engagement Manager) outlining:

• Your current professional role and a short biography
• Your reasons for applying
• Key questions you would like to explore through the programme, or your specific area(s) of interest (between six to eight policy questions)
• Your preference for visiting the University of Bath in-person or arranging meetings online and an indication of your availability.

If you are a member of staff and would like to participate, please email Johanna to express your interest.

• Charlotte Bright: Charlotte is a senior policymaker in the Department of Health & Social Care. In 2024 she took part in the IPR's Health Policy Fellowship Programme.
• George Economides: George is Head of Digital Twins at the Department for Transport. In 2024 he returned to Bath for the second time through the IPR’s Policy Fellowship Programme.
• Akriti Brady: Akriti is a senior policymaker in the Government of Ireland's Department of Transport. In 2024 she took part in the IPR's Net Zero Policy Fellowship Programme.
• Dr Isabel Webb: Isabel is a senior policymaker in the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology. In 2025 she took part in the IPR's Policy Fellowship Programme.