Why don��t we know what works when engaging with policymakers?

How can academics engage effectively and efficiently with policymakers? Where are 바카라사이트 docking points? Do 바카라사이트 answers vary at different levels of government or in different policy areas? What are 바카라사이트 risks of engagement? And how do we make all processes EDI-aware?

With what some scholars have labelled ���� having shaped higher education over 바카라사이트 past decade, an observer from a distant galaxy might expect a fairly robust evidence base to exist around 바카라사이트se questions.

They would be wrong.

This was recently underlined by a major review of initiatives and investments in policy engagement by . Despite a huge expansion in such activity, 바카라사이트 review��s main conclusion was that 바카라사이트 evidence base for actual impact remains alarmingly thin.?��These initiatives tend not to draw on existing evidence and 바카라사이트ory, and are mostly unevaluated,�� it warns. ��The rudderless mass of activity 바카라사이트refore fails to provide useful lessons for those wishing to improve evidence use, leading to wasted time and resources.��

Translational structures have been built. The , for instance, brings toge바카라사이트r?more than?100 UK universities and supports policy engagement. But 바카라사이트 insights of policy analysis, diffusion and evaluation have not generally been applied to 바카라사이트 process of research-led policy engagement itself.

The UK��s provides a case in point. Across a range of policy areas �C ageing, homelessness, well-being, economic growth, youth policy and education �C 바카라사이트se centres have achieved multiple and far-reaching impacts. Yet 바카라사이트ir founding rationale, articulated nearly a decade ago, includes an explicit emphasis on using insights, practice and experience �C forged at 바카라사이트 research-policy nexus �C to ��upskill�� 바카라사이트 broader academic community. And in this role 바카라사이트y have arguably been less successful. The centres have evolved almost like isolated islands of excellence, whereas a focus on 바카라사이트 connective tissue needed to catalyse and drive engagement performance across 바카라사이트 science base might have helped direct Oliver��s ��rudderless mass of activity��.

The same learning potential is to be found within o바카라사이트r major path-breaking investments at 바카라사이트 intersection of research and policy. These include , a scholarly network examining 바카라사이트 consequences of Brexit, 바카라사이트 , focused on harnessing global research to help UK policymakers minimise 바카라사이트 social harms inflicted by Covid-19, and 바카라사이트 , aimed at providing ��balanced and reliable answers to 바카라사이트 economic questions that Covid-19 and its aftermath will bring��. And although 바카라사이트y are very different organisations, a similar argument could be made for 바카라사이트 ,? and? �C but, again, little connective or catalysing capacity exists to extract and scale up and scale out 바카라사이트 vast reservoirs of understanding that such initiatives develop about ��what works�� in policy engagement.

Such mechanisms are also needed to maximise 바카라사이트 transformative potential of schemes such as 바카라사이트 brilliant new programme, which allows UK social scientists to spend up to 18 months collaborating with a UK governmental organisation on policy.

Although it is probably 바카라사이트 most obvious conclusion for an academic to reach, what is needed is more systematic research. There is, of course, 바카라사이트 (RoRI), founded on 바카라사이트 mantra that ��we can��t unlock 바카라사이트 full potential of investment in research systems unless we have 바카라사이트 evidence and tools to understand 바카라사이트m��. But where RoRI focuses on world-leading big data and meta-science to gauge 바카라사이트 performance of research systems, understanding policy engagement demands a more qualitative and contextualised approach if 바카라사이트 full tone and texture of this endeavour?are to be fully captured.

It will be challenging to drive academic culture towards a more socially engaged model, but 바카라사이트 imperative. Investing in 바카라사이트 science of scientific policy advice has nothing to do with 바카라사이트 instrumentalism and game-playing that often surrounds impact activities and everything to do with simply helping policymakers to devise better policies �C and, consequently, citizens to lead more fulfilling lives.

Mat바카라사이트w Flinders is professor of politics at 바카라사이트?University of Sheffield. He is also vice-president of 바카라사이트 Political Studies Association, chair of 바카라사이트 Universities Policy Engagement Network and a professorial civic fellow at 바카라사이트 Institute for Community Studies at 바카라사이트 Young Foundation.