Via this page, you will find regular updates of policy engagement opportunities, including policy secondments and pairings, events and training and details of government consultations and calls for evidence.

To discuss any aspects of this, or for further support, please contact the IPR.

Policy secondments and fellowships

British Ecological Society Fellowship

Applications for the BES Fellowship 2025 are now open to postgraduate students in their second or third year of study, registered for a PhD who are current BES members. The successful applicant for this fellowship will be based in UK Parliament, supporting its use of research evidence, potentially outside their immediate area of expertise. The fellowship lasts for 13-weeks and will start at the earliest in January 2025. Deadline to apply is Wednesday 12 June 2024.

POST and IChemE fellowship

The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST), in partnership with the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) and the Materials Processing Institute, are offering a three-month Fellowship to engineers who have recently completed a degree at undergraduate Masters level or above in a discipline related to chemical or process engineering, or have equivalent industry experience. There is one funded Fellowship available. Deadline to apply is Sunday 30 June 2024.

Upcoming events and training

Policy engagement for early career researchers

Empowerment & Ethics at the Edge: The Benefits & Risks of Edge Technologies

The Foundation for Science and Technology in collaboration with The PETRAS National Centre of Excellence has organised this hybrid event to explore how technologies at the edge can revolutionise citizens’ experiences, while ensuring ethical and security considerations remain at the forefront. The discussion will illuminate the benefits and risks of this technological evolution, and how to ensure a balanced perspective that prioritises the well-being of citizens. This event will take place online on Wednesday 22 May (18:00-19:30).

Policy engagement training session for early career researchers

As part of the pilot Bath Policy Engagement Academy (BPEA), the Institute for Policy Research (IPR) will be running a policy engagement training session for early career researchers. The session will be delivered by Professor Nick Pearce (Director of the IPR), Dr Emma Gibbard (Research Impact Manager, Research & Innovation Services) and Amy Thompson (Head of Policy Programmes and Communications, IPR). It will include one-to-one training with participants to help them develop a policy engagement strategy appropriate to their research. This event will take place online on Thursday 23 May 2024 (13:00-15:00).

Using surveys to evaluate impact

Evaluating policy engagement and impact is notoriously complex - policy impact can be diffuse and hard to track. Surveys are one tool for collecting quantitative and qualitative data on the impact and efficacy of a programme or piece of research. The aim of tis event is to familiarise the audience with how to design effective surveys to evaluate the impact of their work as well as analyse and interpret survey responses. This event will take place on Wednesday 29 May 2024 (14:00-15:30).

Critical Minerals - how can science and technology help deliver the UK strategy?

This hybrid event is chaired by Rt Hon the Lord Willets FRS, Chair of the Foundation for Science and Technology, with speakers Nusrat Ghani MP, Minister of State, FCDO; Dr Sarah Gordon, CEO and co-founder, Satarla; Dr Pierre Josso, Deputy Director, Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre, British Geological Survey; and Dr Rhys Charles, Technology Transfer Fellow, Swansea University. The event will explore the major contribution to delivering the UK Government's Critical Minerals strategy science and technology can make, from more efficient extraction, effective and commercially viable recycling and new materials. This event will take place on in-person at The Geological Society, London, or online on Monday 3 June 2024 (17:30-20:30 - in-person) (18:00-19:30 - online). The event is free to attend.

The role of UK national laboratories

The UK has a number of national laboratories, with a large range of different governance models, which play different roles within the UK’s science and technology ecosystem. These include the provision of large scale research facilities and related scientific expertise, supporting regulation and standards, curation of key scientific assets, protection of national infrastructure and the natural environment, and the provision of advice to government and regulators. Recent reviews have asked whether the UK is making the best use of its national laboratories. What should our strategy be going forward? This event takes place in-person at The Royal Society, London, and online on Wednesday 12 June 2024 (18:00-21:30)

CSaP Annual Conference

The CSaP Anuual Conference brings together policy professionals, academic experts and business leaders for a day of talks and presentations, and to share and discuss issues and ideas on a range of topics from innovation and economic growth, to climate and sustainability. Takes place Tuesday 18 June 2024 (9:30-18:00) at the Royal Society in London.

IMI Policy Engagement Training

The Institute for Methods Innovation is offering a training programme designed to support and equip UK researchers to translate their environmental, economic and social science research into policy insights and real-world impacts. The programme consists of a self-paced online training course and either live virtual training or in-person training sessions at different locations across the UK. The training is offered free to eligible participants. Applications are open now

Evidence requests

POST Note contributions

POSTnotes are short evidence briefings produced by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST). POST welcomes researchers with relevant expertise to get in touch in relation to upcoming POSTnotes. If you would like to find out which research projects you can contribute to, and how to contribute, please follow the guidance on the Parliament website.

Consultations and calls for evidence

The UK Government website has a live list of open consultations and calls for evidence. While this IPR webpage will highlight notable opportunities, many others may be available on the UK Government site.

Select Committee inquiries

The UK Government website has a live list of open Select Committee enquiries. You can filter by keywords and date.

Building policy networks

No opportunities currently advertised