We hope the CAPE collaboration fund will stimulate researchers and public policy professionals to work together in order to develop evidence-informed approaches to policy problems. It’s a key part of CAPE’s work to understand how to strengthen the relationship between the academic and public policy communities. Sarah Chaytor, CAPE Co-Investigator and UCL Co-Lead This week, we are delighted to share that we have officially launched our new funding scheme, the CAPE Collaboration Fund.   The CAPE Collaboration fund aims to build collaborative and co-productive research and activity between academics and policy professionals in an effort to better develop policy work. Up to … Continued

For our third episode of CAPEcast, our podcast exploring academic-policy engagement, Sarah Chaytor talks to Rob Davies, knowledge mobiliser at CLOSER (the home of longitudinal research) and currently a CAPE Fellow at the House of Commons Scrutiny Unit, and Faten Hussein a Senior Specialist at the Unit. We explore the work that the Scrutiny Unit is undertaking to understand and create systematic mechanisms to diversify engagement with their processes. In particular, we focus on Rob’s work as a policy fellow supporting the development of the first ever parliamentary Select Committee Areas of Research Interest (ARI) with the International Trade Committee. … Continued

CAPE is hiring a Policy Engagement Project Coordinator who will be based at the Centre for Science and Policy (CSaP) at the University of Cambridge, one of our CAPE partner institutes. At CSaP, the Policy Engagement Project Coordinator for the CAPE project will run a scheme to coordinate 20 Policy Fellowships per year across the five universities, working with colleagues to identify policy professionals to recruit for meetings with academics, as well as academics for matching with meeting and secondment opportunities. The post holder will also deliver CSaP’s participation in a full range of CAPE activities, which will include workshops … Continued

The International Trade Select Committee has published five Areas of Research Interest (ARI) for 2021 to help support the Committee’s scrutiny of UK wide trade policy. The ARI are as follows: Trade negotiations Gender and trade Food standards Developing countries Foreign Policy and Trade Academics at all career stages, research institutions, and experts are encouraged to register their interest in the ARIs, add their existing research in the topic areas, provide their insights, and suggest questions that the Committee could be asking the Government. CAPE Policy Fellow Rob Davies, who through his fellowship at Parliament’s Scrutiny Unit, has been working … Continued

In our second episode of CAPEcast, our podcast exploring different avenues of academic-policy engagement, Sarah Chaytor and Olivia Stevenson from UCL talk to Jonathan Lloyd of Waltham Forest Council and Hayley Sims, Islington Council (formerly of Waltham Forest) about our work supporting Waltham Forest to develop their Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy. We explore how researchers can help local councils have time and space to consider how to tackle structural inequalities against a backdrop of more immediate delivery priorities, particularly in the context COVID recovery. We also chat about the difference between local authorities and national government in confronting local … Continued

CAPE and Yorkshire Universities (YU) are delighted to welcome the appointment of Dr Richard Whittle, as the first CAPE Regional Development Fellow. Starting on 1 July, Richard will work with YU, the Place-based Economic Recovery Network (PERN) and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, to lead an innovative project tasked with strengthening the use and application of university research to inform public policy in West Yorkshire. Commenting on his appointment, Dr Richard Whittle said: The Universities in Yorkshire produce outstanding insights that could, and should, help shape the effective evidence-based policy, vital for post-pandemic recovery and growth. As a CAPE Policy … Continued

Report of the Capabilities in Academic-Policy Engagement (CAPE) seminar and panel discussion on Chief Scientific Advisors, 14 December 2020 This event was part of CAPE’s programme of work exploring academic-policy engagement within local and regional government and the role that a science advisory function might play. The goal of the discussion was to explore the role of chief scientific advisers (CSAs) and share the perspectives of those who have been or are presently CSAs with national government or public bodies. This note highlights the key points from the panel discussion and consolidates the most salient messages raised during the Q&A … Continued

In December 2020, the Capabilities in Academic-Policy Engagement partnership (CAPE) co-facilitated a workshop with Camden Council at a meeting of the London Policy & Strategy Network. The aim of the workshop was to explore: current policy challenges for local councils difficulties in accessing research evidence and expertise The discussion at the workshop will inform the development of CAPE activities to support engagement with local councils within London and across England.

CAPE is pleased to announce a new Policy Fellowship opportunity with Yorkshire Universities (YU), working together with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA). This role will require the successful candidate to work closely with YU, WYCA, PERN and other partners in West Yorkshire, including local authorities, further education, health and care sector, communities and business. The main responsibilities will be to: Act as a conduit for academic expertise and research evidence to inform policy considerations and development in West Yorkshire, in order to: expand the understanding and use of high-quality expertise and evidence in regional policy development; and increase the … Continued

CAPE is working with the Scrutiny Unit of the House of Commons Committee Office to support the implementation of the 2017-19 Liaison Committee’s report recommendations on use of research evidence. A 6-month Policy Fellowship is providing dedicated expertise to explore how to support the use of research evidence in Parliament. This includes working with Select Committees on developing their Areas of Research Interests (ARIs) and considering how to develop more systematic structures of cooperation between parliament and research institutions. The Fellowship will explore appropriate tools and incentives to encourage engagement and help to provide evaluation of new initiatives. The project activities … Continued