I joined the Welsh Parliament/Senedd Cymru in the snowy winter of 2013, having spent the preceding 10 years working in various academic research roles in Cardiff and Swansea Universities. Enough time has now passed for me to admit that prior to joining the Senedd I had no idea about how parliament worked, the different roles and functions of parliament and government, or how the work I had been involved in during my academic career could help to shape policy.
Fortunately (for the sake of the Senedd and wider democracy!) that has now all changed. I’ve spent the past 12 years working as a researcher in the Senedd’s expert, impartial research service – providing support to all Members of the Senedd and Senedd Committees on a wide range of environmental topics. Working closely with Members, their support staff and colleagues across the Senedd has provided me with invaluable insight about their knowledge needs, and how they seek and consume information. My involvement in numerous Committee inquiries over the years has also shone a light on the role academic research can play in scrutiny and law making in a parliamentary context.
I was delighted to take up the role of Knowledge Exchange Lead in early March, focusing on delivering the Senedd’s knowledge exchange strategy and working to broaden, deepen and diversify the evidence we use as a parliament. Taking the reins from my irreplaceable and exceptional colleague. Hannah Johnson, who many of you will have had the pleasure of meeting, I’m excited to continue and develop our programme of work as we move towards the next Senedd in 2026. We are incredibly fortunate to be supported by our ESRC funded Knowledge Exchange Manager, Sarah Morse. Sarah’s role spans Swansea and Cardiff Universities and the Senedd, and her role embedded in academia and parliament is instrumental in developing lasting and meaningful links with the academic community in Wales and beyond.
Parliaments are complex and sometimes opaque organisations, and the Welsh Parliament is no different. I’ve come to realise that there are many barriers that academics face when considering engaging or even just dipping a toe in the parliamentary waters. Maybe it’s simply not knowing the avenues open to them, be that Areas of Research Interest (ARIs), responding to Committee calls for written evidence, providing oral evidence, undertaking fellowships or placements, or even commissioned research. Or it could be a lack of confidence, fear of the unknown, or not understanding the ways in which parliamentary policy engagement can be impactful and meaningful.
Our approach to knowledge exchange aims to break down these barriers – through providing training to academics about how the parliament works, and how they can engage; opening up opportunities for collaborations and fellowships; and through making the paths to engagement as simple, open and accessible as possible for academics from all career stages.
So whether you are an academic researcher keen explore the opportunities and avenues to engage with the Welsh Parliament, or want to develop your understanding of how parliaments work and the role your research can play, we would love to connect with you. Feel free to email me at knowledge.exchange@senedd.wales. You can also sign up to our mailing list to receive updates on the Senedd’s knowledge exchange programme, including new engagement opportunities (such as committee consultations, fellowships, and expert adviser roles), resources, training, and events.
