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Published by

Nat Easton

22 September 2026, 7:55 UTC Share

Institutional capacity for academic-policy engagement: Initial steps towards considering policy engagement ‘readiness’

A new evidence review from the UPEN People programme team looks at what being ready for academic-policy engagement looks like in practice for UK institutions.

Institutions interested in academic-policy engagement are becoming more aware of the importance of brokerage roles and relational infrastructure. But without forming part of a university’s business as usual operations, these roles and structures are often precarious and over-reliant on a few key individuals.

Our UPEN People programme team wanted to learn:

  • What does capacity look like in practice? 
  • What are the key components of institutional capacity? 
  • What factors should institutions consider to strengthen their capacity or sustainability?

We’re undertaking this work through an evidence review, a series of co-design workshops and discussions with UPEN members. In this preliminary report, learn more about the context surrounding institutional capacity for academic-policy engagement, our initial insights, and what’s next for this programme of work.

Interested in getting involved? Complete our expression of interest form.

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