Introduction to Policy Engagement

In this workshop run by Imperial’s Policy Forum and open to both doctoral students and staff, participants are provided with insights into the UK policymaking process and the benefits to researchers of engaging with this.

You will be introduced to different ways to engage with Parliament and the UK government and become equipped with the tools and confidence to carry out your own policy engagement. This course will show you that you can collaborate and work with policymakers whether you are a doctoral student or a professor, and it is never too soon to start your policy journey!

The first part of this session provides an overview of the policymaking process and identifies who is involved, what they are looking for when engaging with academia, and the benefits of policy engagement for both the policymaker and academics. You will also discover how to identify people in parliament and government who may be interested in your own research.

The second part provides a ‘hands-on’ tutorial of how to inform policy, exploring practical ways to engage with a broad range of policymakers, including government departments and parliamentarians. You will learn about the different avenues to engage with policy, and the most impactful way to approach them. The session will contain a practical workshop on the way in which to write an introductory policy briefing based on your own area of research; focusing on style, language and structure and how it differs from writing for an academic or public audience.  

Please note that this course combines the content previously taught in the 2-part series ‘Policy Engagement Part 1 – Policymaking Process’ and ‘Policy Engagement Part 2 – Influencing Policy’.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this session, you will be able to:

• Define policy and recognise the role that research can play in influencing it.
• Outline the policymaking process and key decision-makers involved, including government, civil service, parliament and external organisations.
• Recognise how and when you can pitch yourself to different policy audiences regardless of your level of academic seniority 
• Find policy documents such as consultations, areas of research interest and Select Committee inquiries that are relevant to their research/studies. 
• Write an introductory briefing for a policymaker on their research, using relevant structure and style.

How to Book

This session is run by Imperial’s Policy Forum and is open to both Imperial staff and doctoral students, so the sign up is slightly different to  other ECRI courses.  

To book a place on this course, please use the booking link provided in the Date section above.