Policy Engagement Kickstart (Face to Face on University Campus)

Course Code
50181347

Course has already taken place

Provider
OD&PL

Tutor(s):

Suitability
This programme is aimed at researchers and research support staff who
are new or relatively new to policy engagement, and are interested in
developing their policy engagement knowledge and skills.

You need to:

- Be a researcher (postgraduate level or research staff) or professional
research support staff at the University of Leeds;
- Be able to commit to all the workshop dates – ~these will be held
in-person on the University of Leeds Campus
;
- Have time to complete the pre-work self-study modules prior to
attending the workshops.

Date(s)
Thursday, October 20, 2022, 13:00 to 15:00
Thursday, November 03, 2022, 13:00 to 15:00
Thursday, November 17, 2022, 13:00 to 15:00
Thursday, December 01, 2022, 13:00 to 15:00

Max Places:
21

Description
Tutors
Juliet Jopson (Policy Officer, Policy Leeds
Alistair Quaile (Faculty Research Manager, Faculty of Medicine and
Health)
Sally-Anne Whiteman (Research Impact Officer, Faculty of Biological
Sciences
Ged Hall (OD&PL)

Description

This action-oriented programme will provide you with the knowledge and
skills you need to engage with policy makers, from planning your
projects through to communicating your research findings.
After completing the programme, you will:
• Be able to articulate the impact your own research could have on
policy making
• Understand the landscape of UK government at central, devolved and
local level
• Appreciate how policy is made, from ideas through to implementation
• Learn how academic research is used in policy making
• Know the different routes to engagement with policy makers that are
open to you, and the benefits and challenges of each
• Map your networks and learn how to expand them
• Get tips on increasing the visibility of your research through use of
articles and social media
• Be able to talk about your research in ways that are understandable
and compelling for non-academic audiences
• Be able to plan for impact right from the start of research projects

The course covers practical exercises to build a policy map related to
your research area, a policy engagement plan, simple steps to develop
your visibility to policy makers, and building a theory of change for
how you get from where you are now to the policy impact you want to
achieve.

It is made up of four modules covering:

1. The landscape of government and policy making
2. Policy making, evidence and engagement
3. Developing networks and building your profile
4. Communicating your research

Each module comprises of self-study material (see pre-work) and a
workshop. The workshops will be delivered in person and are a mix of
presentations, group and individual activities.

Participants on this course will have the option to sign up to an
additional workshop in the summer term 2024 on Understanding the
politics in policy making, delivered by the Institute for Government.

The Policy engagement kickstart programme has been developed for the
University of Leeds by the Institute for Government, in collaboration
with Policy Leeds, OD&PL, and Leeds Social Sciences Institute (LSSI).

Pre-work
Each module is made up of an online self-study module and an in-person
workshop. You should complete the self-study prior to attending the
associated workshop. Access to the self-study will be via a course
Microsoft Teams and will open on Tuesday 10 October 2023.

The self-study will introduce you to key knowledge, give you activities
to allow you to tailor this learning to your research area, and
directions to further reading and resources. We anticipate the self-
study taking up to 1-2 hours per module on average, with the first two
modules being slightly longer than the later modules.

Comments from previous participants

"Thank you for the course, it has helped me to think more specifically
about what I want to ask of policymakers."

"It can be a complex process but you have demystified it a lot."

"Good learning environment where others have similar problems and share
common learning."