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Why engage with Parliament?

Engaging with Parliament as a researcher can lead to all sorts of positive outcomes. Below are a number of reasons to get involved with the work of Parliament, based on the experiences of academics who have done so.

Why engage with Parliament as a researcher?

 

Here is a transcript of the video.

  • To support Parliamentarians in their work of scrutinising the Government, legislating, debating important issues and checking and approving Government spending
  • To shape and change policy and the policy agenda
  • To have demonstrable research impact
  • To raise the profile of your research and broaden its dissemination
  • To get a different perspective on your research
  • To develop new research questions and projects shaped by 'real-world' questions
  • To grow your network
  • To be presented with new opportunities and have new experiences

Parliament is keen to hear from researchers from different career stages, disciplines, institutions and backgrounds.

Find out about what Parliament is interested in to help you decide how to get involved and contribute your expertise.

There are different ways in which engaging with Parliament as a researcher can allow you to have demonstrable research impact. These include through the Research Excellence Framework and the Knowledge Exchange Framework and Concordat.

Parliament and the Research Excellence Framework

The Knowledge Exchange Unit is familiar with both the impact agenda and the Research Excellence Framework research assessment exercise, and with what these mean for researchers working in UK Higher Education Institutions. The Knowledge Exchange Unit works closely with Research England to ensure that research impact on Parliament is recognised and rewarded in research assessment exercises.

Read a four page briefing coproduced with the devolved legislatures and detailing how to have and demonstrate impact with legislatures.

Parliament and the Knowledge Exchange Framework and Concordat

The Knowledge Exchange Unit is familiar with both the Knowledge Exchange Framework and Concordat for the Advancement of Knowledge Exchange in Higher Education in England.

Since January 2019, the Knowledge Exchange Unit, working with colleagues from the devolved legislatures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, has been interacting with Research England around the KE Framework, and working together to develop comprehensive guidelines around how researchers and higher education institutions can conduct knowledge exchange with legislatures. These guidelines take the form of a short briefing note: ‘Knowledge Exchange and Legislatures'.

Through this work, we aim to ensure knowledge exchange with Parliament is encouraged, recognised and rewarded in these knowledge exchange initiatives. It is intended that this briefing will inform Research England as they continue to evolve the KE Framework. The briefing is also intended to help universities and researchers to develop KE strategies and activities relating to engagement with legislatures.

 

Find out about what Parliament is interested in.