The Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN) is pleased to announce the formation of a new, dedicated operations team to help guide the next phase of our work. This exciting development follows a significant £5.9m funding award from Research England, which is enabling a major expansion of our activities through the UPEN Programmes initiative.
As UPEN continues to grow in scale and impact, this new team will provide the essential operational capacity required to deliver on our goals. Their focus will be on managing our expanding portfolio of programmes, enhancing communications and impact, and strengthening network development and engagement across the UK.
We are delighted to introduce the members of the new team. Get to know them in the short videos and summaries below, where they introduce themselves and outline their roles within UPEN.
Laura Bea, Head of Membership and Network Development
Laura’s focus is on supporting UPEN members and ensuring the network remains a dynamic, collaborative, and valuable community for all involved.
Robyn Parker, Head of Communications and Impact
Robyn is responsible for shaping UPEN’s communication strategy and brand. She oversees all external channels to share the work of our network and stories of UPEN’s impact.
Ayden McKeating, Head of Programmes and Operations
Ayden is responsible for the delivery of UPEN Programmes, our investment from Research England UK Research and Innovation & ESRC: Economic and Social Research Council from 2025-2028, ensuring it runs effectively and meets our objectives.
Jay Amin, Network Engagement Coordinator
Jay is the first the point of contact for membership admin and comms. This includes organising the conference, sub-committees, programme of events, newsletter and website updates. Before joining UPEN, Jay was a Capabilities in Academic Policy Engagement (CAPE) Fellow, a knowledge mobiliser at the University of Manchester, a freelancer supporting regional and local authorities and a civil servant with Government Office for Science, Ministry of Justice and the Department for International Development.
The establishment of this team, made possible by the Research England investment alongside membership donations, marks an exciting step forward for UPEN. Their collective expertise will be instrumental in strengthening academic-policy engagement through our activities. Please join us in giving them a warm welcome.
