Interim report: Mapping the supply of and demand for professional development relating to academic policy engagement

The appetite for professional development relating to academic-policy engagement is growing – but the provision of training and opportunities is fragmented and uneven. What might this mean for UPEN’s role in shaping the future of professional development in the sector?

Our ‘People’ area of work have published a new report reviewing the supply of and demand for professional development relating to academic-policy engagement across the UK research ecosystem.

The report identifies key areas where UPEN can help coordinate, convene and clarify the needs of the academic-policy engagement sector, including:

1. Supporting ‘third‑space’ and hybrid policy engagement roles, helping to define the profession, raise visibility and articulating the sector’s skills and expectations.
2. Acting as a convenor rather than a primary training provider, helping to connect people, promote best practice and improve coherence across a fragmented system.
3. Championing evidence-informed approaches to professional development, as outlined in our ‘What works’ report.
4. Addressing the gaps in training provision across career stages and different audiences.
5. Strengthening cross‑institutional networking and peer learning, and emphasising our role in enabling collaboration across the sector.
6. Taking a bold, enabling approach to EDI, advocating for evidence-informed mechanisms and models to the knowledge mobilisation community.

Read the whole report, which maps supply and demand in the sector, and its implications for UPEN, online now.