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More than just blogs: Policy@Manchester releases impact report

27 Nov 2018

Policy@Manchester has released a new report that illustrates the breadth – and success – of its work to influence public policy

Policy infographic

‘Illustrating our impact’ demonstrates the variety of specialist engagement work the team undertakes, working with researchers to support the institution’s key priorities around world class research and social responsibility.

As the University’s public policy engagement institute, Policy@Manchester aims to have a positive impact on society by influencing and challenging policy makers using research-informed evidence and ideas.

The publication contains testimonials about the value of the team’s work from Manchester colleagues and external figures.

Dr Carly McLachlan, Director of Tyndall Manchester, said: “Policy@Manchester is a hugely important and successful part of the University’s research impact activity. For me, the real benefit it offers is approachable in-house expertise that is flexible and responsive to the needs of the particular researcher, research insight and policy context.”  

Highlights contained in the new report include:

  • The team’s on-going support for around 50 REF 2021 impact case studies
  • Deep policy influence upon national and local industrial strategy development.
  • Team expertise being leveraged to support successful research funding bids worth £16m
  • Engagement with 10 Government departments
  • Meetings with 40 parliamentarians and senior civil servants
  • Our ‘On Cohesion’ and ‘On AI and Robotics’ publications, which are influencing policy development nationally and regionally.
  • Capacity building activity, including training for hundreds of colleagues in policy engagement skills.
  • Collaboration with dozens of partner bodies to influence public policy decisions.

Head of Engagement at Policy@Manchester, Alex Waddington, said: “In six years, we’ve grown from a small pilot project to an award-winning team that specialises in helping our researchers achieve targeted engagement with key figures who make and shape public policy.

“We’re perhaps best known for our blog site, which does help researchers make their expertise visible to policy actors. But the blogs are only a small part of our work, and we hope this new report will illustrate the breadth of specialist engagement work we now do.”

The Policy@Manchester team of two academic co-directors and six professional services staff works with researchers right across the institution, spotting impact opportunities, building contacts and brokering engagement with the public policy community.

Researchers wishing to discuss policy engagement opportunities and support can contact the team on 53038 or policy@manchester.ac.uk.