Opening up Academic Work to Policymakers : the Role of Learned Societies Vicky Randall (Emeritus Professor, University of Essex; President (former Chair), Political Studies Association UK)
Indirect approaches • Media briefings • Publications for ‘lay reader’, eg Significance, Political Insight • Awards to policymakers
Political Insight
The PSA’s magazine-style publication
Encouraging academics to engage with policymakers • Providing academics with relevant information, eg re select committees • Holding relevant events at Conferences, eg PSA’s Impact and Engagement Workshop • Encouraging academics to provider accessible versions of their research • Encouraging engagement with voluntary organisations?
Making policymakers aware of academics and their research • Cultivating relationships with policymakers, eg MPs • Informing policymakers of available expertise
Facilitating events where policymakers meet academics • Award events • Facilitating joint seminars on topics of particular current interest, eg PSA, with Hansard, on ‘Public Expectations of and Trust in Parliament and Politicians’
Facilitating communication of research findings to policymakers • Facilitating academic contributions to public debates, eg Failing Politics? A Response to The Governance of Britain Green Paper • Providing ‘expert’ briefing papers, eg on AV and reform of the House of Lords.
Collaboration • Collaboration with other learned societies • Collaboration with umbrella organisations, AcSS and the British Academy • Collaboration with other relevant organisations, eg Institute for Government, Hansard Society
Conclusions : what works and what the problems are • Issues – should be topical, and where element of ‘technical’ expertise can be claimed • Events – need to be planned with policymakers’ convenience (timing and location) in mind • Difficulties for learned society - organisational capacity; motivating academics