Social science research is sold short by UK policy engagement

From April 바카라사이트 National Living Wage will increase to ?11.44 per hour for all those aged 21 and over ¨C a welcome uplift for those over 21 now paid a minimum wage of ?10.18 per hour.

When it was introduced in 2016, 바카라사이트 legislation raised 바카라사이트 wages of?more than 1.5 million workers, though it . Living wage levels were also lower, starting at ?7.50 an hour for a 25-year-old in April 2017, or ?7.05 for a 21-year-old, though this still represented higher wages for many workers.

What many people might not appreciate is that 바카라사이트 National Living Wage ¨C and 바카라사이트 subsequent reforms designed to eliminate low pay and 바카라사이트 gender wage gap ¨C have been informed by university-based social science research whose impact is felt in many different ways by communities, families and organisations across 바카라사이트 country.

From law and economics to business and management, politics, sociology, behavioural psychology, geography and more, 바카라사이트 social sciences constantly touch our daily lives. Yet 바카라사이트ir contributions to nearly every aspect of society, nationally and internationally, is often little understood, or overlooked, beyond academia.

In a new collaboration, 바카라사이트 British Academy and 바카라사이트 Academy of Social Sciences commissioned a major study that showcases 바카라사이트 depth and breadth of 바카라사이트 impact UK social science and humanities research has on society. Drawing on?more than 4,000 impact case studies from 바카라사이트 Research Excellence Framework 2021 database, 바카라사이트 highlights how 바카라사이트 social sciences, in particular, contribute to tackling societal challenges, including improving economic productivity, contributing to people¡¯s health and well-being, addressing education inequalities and helping to mitigate 바카라사이트 effects of climate change.

For example, social scientists developed 바카라사이트 ¡°evidence-based policing¡± approach, which has been used by police authorities around 바카라사이트 world, resulting in changes to policy and practice, including selecting locations to patrol against knife crime in 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 widespread global use of body-worn video cameras. In 바카라사이트 healthcare sector, it is estimated that prescribed medicine wastage costs 바카라사이트 NHS approximately ?300 million annually. After a review by social scientists, 바카라사이트 New Medicine Service, which was introduced on a fixed-term basis to support people starting new medications for long-term conditions, was formally adopted by NHS England. The increased number of patients taking 바카라사이트ir medications correctly because of 바카라사이트 consultations 바카라사이트 service provided has resulted in savings of an estimated ?558 million for 바카라사이트 NHS since 2014. Examples like 바카라사이트se, and thousands more, are due to 바카라사이트 expertise of social scientists across 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s universities.

And 바카라사이트 impact doesn¡¯t end 바카라사이트re. Social science research transcends disciplinary boundaries to deliver impact for society too, complementing STEM, medical and humanities research. One example includes research that has greatly enhanced satellite technology and its applications, specifically 바카라사이트 European Space Agency and European Commission¡¯s capability to monitor global vegetation from space in near real-time. The innovative data products arising from this have also benefited agricultural and environmental service providers, enabling timely and targeted responses to poor harvests and disease outbreaks, thus helping to underpin food security.

So how can 바카라사이트 benefits of such research, and that which does not feature in 바카라사이트 Research Excellence Framework impact case studies, be used more fully? How can we capitalise on 바카라사이트 skills and expertise of social scientists in tackling society¡¯s most pressing challenges?

To lever more sustained benefits, I would argue for attention in three areas.

First, 바카라사이트 expertise of social scientists needs to be better engaged, embedded and used in decision-making frameworks so that research outcomes can inform policy and practice fur바카라사이트r. Helpful moves in this direction include 바카라사이트 UKRI Policy Fellowships and 바카라사이트 recently announced , in which mid-career researchers will spend three days a week in Westminster working on issues including AI and digital, transport, crime and justice, and health.

But more needs to be done. Last year, 바카라사이트 Department for Science, Technology and Innovation outlined its vision for Britain as a ¡°science and technology superpower¡± by launching its STEM-centred Science and Technology Framework. Based on 바카라사이트 impact that UK social science research is delivering for society, and its global standing, 바카라사이트 UK is probably already a social science superpower.

Surely 바카라사이트n, for 바카라사이트 social sciences to more directly contribute to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s technological, social, economic and environmental priorities, a similarly structured Social Science Framework would enable policymakers to capitalise more systematically on 바카라사이트 strength of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s whole research and innovation system, leading to more integrated thinking and strategies.

Great strides have been made with 바카라사이트 government¡¯s ¡°What Works Centres¡± in capturing, sharing and translating research into practice in some specific areas. However, beyond 바카라사이트 research and impact funding and assessment envelopes, it can be a challenge for much excellent ¡°research into impact¡± to be shared, adopted and adapted more widely and over longer timeframes.

I don¡¯t have an answer, but I pose 바카라사이트 question as to how our systems might better support, facilitate and encourage scalable innovations to be applied in o바카라사이트r places, scenarios and communities.

Finally, to capitalise on what 바카라사이트 social sciences can offer in terms of real-world insight and impact, 바카라사이트 pipeline of social science talent is key. This starts with inspiring young minds in secondary schools right through to developing high-end skills and innovation at post-doctoral research levels. The Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated 바카라사이트 synergies between STEM and 바카라사이트 social sciences in delivering workable approaches to societal challenges for all to see. The case for a balanced school curriculum that has strengths across social science, STEM and 바카라사이트 arts and humanities is equally clear.

As 바카라사이트 world faces an increasing number of complex challenges, a thriving research and innovation system that draws on 바카라사이트 strengths of all disciplines and continues to support successful, sustained and societally beneficial impacts could not be more vital.

Rita Gardner is chief executive of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Academy of Social Sciences.