Building capability for research–policy engagement: Reflections from UPEN’s People Programme

I have found myself reflecting on nearly 10 years of working in a university policy engagement role. Looking back, it is striking how much of my own practice has been shaped not by formal training, but by people and experiences – connecting with others across networks, learning from their skills and approaches, and gradually building confidence through doing.

Along the way, there have been opportunities to create capacity, through funding, partnerships and team development, and to move from delivering activity myself to supporting others with different skills and interests. At the same time, there has often been uncertainty: about where this work sits within the wider university, what progression looks like, and what future opportunities might be, both personally and for the work itself. Like many others, it has often been a process of trial and error, borrowing ideas, collaborating where possible, and making the most of limited resources.

Through UPEN’s work on people and capability, it’s clear that these experiences are widely shared.

Thanks largely to the work of Jonathan Breckon and Joe Armstrong, over the past year, we have been working to better understand the skills, capabilities and support needed by those working at the interface between research and public policy. Drawing on a member survey, interviews with training providers and stakeholders, and a review of existing provision, our latest report identifies a system that is dynamic and committed, but also fragmented and uneven in how it supports people to develop.

Demand for professional development is strong and growing. Practitioners are seeking support to build practical capability, whether in evidencing policy impact, building relationships with policymakers, or developing leadership and strategic skills. There is also a clear desire for more flexible and tailored opportunities, reflecting the diversity of roles and career stages across the sector. Personally, I have often struggled to know where to go for this kind of support, particularly when thinking about career progression or more context-specific development.

This demand sits alongside a complex landscape of policy engagement training and development provision. There is no shortage of activity, but it can be difficult to navigate, and much of it remains focused on short, one-off interventions. Our findings suggest that capability is more likely to develop through experiential, relational and sustained approaches, such as mentoring, peer learning and opportunities to work across institutional and sectoral boundaries.

Practitioners are seeking support to build practical capability, whether in evidencing policy impact, building relationships with policymakers, or developing leadership and strategic skills.

At the heart of this are the people who make UPEN what it is: a growing community of ‘third space’ or knowledge mobilisation professionals. These roles are central to bridging research and policy yet often lack clear career pathways or structured development support.

We see a distinctive role for UPEN – both an opportunity and responsibility. Not as a major provider of training, but as a network that can connect, coordinate and strengthen the system around capability building. This means making it easier to navigate and access high quality training and development opportunities that already exist, while also working with partners to develop new approaches where there are clear gaps.

It also means supporting the development of this emerging professional space, through building a shared language around skills and practice, promoting more visible and diverse career pathways, and testing tools such as a flexible competency framework that can help individuals and organisations make sense of capability and progression.

Alongside this, there is an opportunity to place greater emphasis on peer-based learning, leadership development and responsible knowledge mobilisation practice, recognising that much of the most valuable development happens through relationships, reflection and shared experience.

These roles are central to bridging research and policy yet often lack clear career pathways or structured development support.

These are not fixed plans, but emerging ideas. And ones that we will continue to test, refine and develop with our members and partners. We’ll need to work with a range of collaborators to meet these needs and would like to hear from anyone who thinks they may be able to help us do so.

Ultimately, this work is about recognising that effective policy engagement practice  depends on people, and about creating the conditions in which their capability, confidence and connections can grow.

With thanks to Jonathan Breckon and Joe Armstrong, our interim report on skills and capabilities is now live.