Government and academia: Expert networks

This is one of five deep dives into mechanisms UK central government uses to engage with researchers. The deep dives are accompanied by a report looking at the big picture of how government can improve its approach to researcher engagement. 

These outputs build on past Institute research on how government can work better with academia, and the IfG Academy’s work in supporting academics seeking to engage with policy makers.

Universities have been investing in their capabilities to drive expert networks

Universities have driven the most significant shift in expert networks. Our 2018 report on how government can work more effectively with academia highlighted the policy fellowship at the Centre for Science and Policy (CSaP) at the University of Cambridge (set up in 2011), ⁴⁹ Sasse T and Haddon C, How Government Can Work with Academia, Institute for Government, 2018, retrieved 26 February 2026, www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/how-government-can-work-academia  which gives senior policy makers access to leading academics over two years. This is still active, ⁵⁰ Centre for Science and Policy, ‘Policy fellows’, (no date) retrieved 16 June 2026, www.csap.cam.ac.uk/policy-fellowships/policy-fellows  with many fellows remaining active in CSaP’s network. And through the CSaP Affiliate Network, policy makers can now engage with researchers from five additional higher education institutions, broadening institutional and geographic perspectives. ⁵¹ Centre for Science and Policy, ‘CSaP Affiliate Network’, (no date) retrieved 16 June 2026, www.csap.cam.ac.uk/csap-affiliate-network  The policy leaders fellowship at the University of Cambridge offers permanent secretaries and directors general one to one meetings and roundtables with senior academics. ⁵² Centre for Science and Policy, ‘Policy leaders fellowship’, (no date) retrieved 16 June 2026, www.csap.cam.ac.uk/policy-fellowships/policy-leaders-fellows  The Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford continues to run the Heywood fellowship for senior civil servants. ⁵³ University of Oxford, ‘Fellowship programmes’, (no date) retrieved 16 June 2026, www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/fellowships  The Oxford Policy Engagement Network – focused on interdisciplinarity across all four academic divisions – also facilitates visiting fellowships for policy professionals and one to one mentoring between officials and academics. Other fellowship programmes exist at universities including Imperial College London, the University of Bath and the University of Manchester, which also support the creation of informal expert networks. ⁵⁴ Government Office for Science, ‘Directory of exchange schemes from policy to academia’, GOV.UK, updated 19 February 2026, retrieved 16 June 2026, www.gov.uk/government/publications/directory-of-academic-and-policy-exchange-schemes/directory-of-exchange-schemes-from-policy-to-academia. See also Buckley N and Oliver K, ‘Evaluating policy to research fellowship programmes’, Evidence & Policy, 2025, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 279–304, retrieved 29 June 2026, https://doi.org/10.1332/17442648Y2024D000000023

Beyond fellowships, policy hubs and knowledge exchange units within universities and wider regional or national policy engagement infrastructure are also fostering better networks through their roles in brokering, facilitating conversations and matching civil servants with the relevant academics based on evidence needs. For instance, national-level networks such as the Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN) and the policy-to-research offerings that the Evidence Exchange (Ev-Ex) consortium is developing aim to improve policy makers’ access to researchers and support co creation. Organisations with a regional focus – such as the Yorkshire & Humber Policy Engagement & Research Network (Y-PERN), Insights North East (INE), the Wales Centre for Public Policy, the Scottish Policy and Research Exchange, and the Centre for Public Policy and Administration (CPPA) at Queen’s University Belfast – are similarly bolstering academics’ ability to engage with policy officials. Together, this growth of university-driven opportunities has helped promote sustained dialogue and long-term relationships between government and the academic community.

The government’s efforts in promoting expert networks have also increased, albeit at a slower pace

While a host of new initiatives have emerged from research institutions, our research suggests that government departments are also starting to create central directories of experts that officials can access. Some departments have developed more formal mechanisms for maintaining and accessing these networks. A longstanding example is the Department of Health and Social Care’s (DHSC’s) use of the now 20 strong policy research units (PRUs) of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) – university based teams providing both rapid evidence and longitudinal research across specialisms. ⁵⁵ National Institute for Health and Care Research, ‘NIHR awards over £100 million to new policy research units’, (no date) retrieved 16 June 2026, www.nihr.ac.uk/news/nihr-awards-over-ps100-million-new-policy-research-units  Beyond publishing, policy research units engage in knowledge exchange through workshops and seminars with DHSC officials, and each unit has a dedicated department-appointed liaison officer to manage evidence flows between the department and the unit. ⁵⁶ National Institute for Health and Care Research, ‘Policy Research Programme: invitation to tender for NIHR policy research units’, 8 July 2022, retrieved 16 June 2026, www.nihr.ac.uk/policy-research-programme-invitation-tender-national-institute-health-and-care-research-nihr-policy-research-units  Similarly, the Home Office funds the Centre for Research and Evidence on Security Threats (CREST) – a university led hub for social and behavioural science research on security threats, which the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) administers. ⁵⁷ Centre for Research and Evidence on Security Threats, ‘CREST: the UK’s hub for behavioural and social science research into security threats’, (no date) retrieved 16 June 2026, www.crestresearch.ac.uk

Some departments are developing smaller scale knowledge exchange activities, such as regular talks and events. These interactive formats connect policy makers with academic researchers to share insights and co produce evidence – for example at expert led talks or webinars, and roundtables. Such activity can address evidence gaps in live policy questions and, importantly, help officials identify new experts and build informal networks for future use. Interviewees frequently cited the Department for Work and Pension’s (DWP’s) areas of research interest (ARIs) roadshows as a light touch, regular knowledge exchange model. DWP also runs a knowledge exchange series, led by a voluntary team of analysts: monthly, hour long online ‘link seminars’, delivered with five universities, bringing together academics, postgraduate researchers and DWP staff. ⁵⁸ University of York, ‘Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Link seminar series’, (no date) retrieved 16 June 2026, www.york.ac.uk/policy-engine/eventsandopportunities/link-seminar-series

There is also evidence of more cross-cutting government efforts in this space. Notably, the policy fellowship at the Policy Insight Unit (PIU) pairs civil servants with academic mentors from the Open Innovation Team’s five partner universities – Brunel, Essex, Lancaster, Queen’s University Belfast and York – to address specific policy questions and build contacts. The Evaluation Task Force (ETF) likewise has a strong record of engaging academics, for instance by co designing its annual government evaluation conference with University College London (UCL) and offering academics and officials networking and dialogue opportunities. ⁵⁹ University College London, ‘UCL hosts landmark government evaluation conference’, 30 April 2025, retrieved 29 June 2026, www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/apr/ucl-hosts-landmark-government-evaluation-conference

Government can do more to enable efficient and sustainable expert networks

Our interviews revealed that policy makers value expert networks highly, especially as a means for rapid evidence gathering without needing to resort to onerous commissioning processes. Formal procurement is often slow and inconvenient, and trusted contacts can offer quick indicative insights to shape decision making in pressurised contexts. Established relationships also give officials space to be frank about evidence needs and gaps, which is often challenging for those working in sensitive policy areas.

More formalised expert networks that departments convene benefit from academics who already hold security clearance, further reducing hesitancy among officials and enabling appropriate sharing of sensitive policy detail. But informal networks remain highly valuable as well, leveraging individual relationships. Departments should, where possible, set up robust systems to expedite obtaining secure baseline clearance for academics – in both structured and less structured networks – when required, to enable rapid engagement.

In terms of methods of promoting expert networks, a good example of best practice comes from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), which since 2020 has an Evidence and Partnership Hub that plays a key role in knowledge mobilisation.

More formalised expert networks that departments convene benefit from academics who already hold security clearance, further reducing hesitancy among officials and enabling appropriate sharing of sensitive policy detail. But informal networks remain highly valuable as well, leveraging individual relationships. Departments should, where possible, set up robust systems to expedite obtaining secure baseline clearance for academics – in both structured and less structured networks – when required, to enable rapid engagement.

In terms of methods of promoting expert networks, a good example of best practice comes from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), which since 2020 has an Evidence and Partnership Hub that plays a key role in knowledge mobilisation.

Another practical way to strengthen networks is simply to incentivise civil servants to engage professionally with individual academics and knowledge mobilisers, and existing external networks. Because networking and cultivating outside relationships are often seen as optional rather than intrinsic to their role, officials may prioritise activities with more immediate, short term returns. Yet investing time in networks can pay off down the line, with professional connections often proving serendipitous in being able to address future policy evidence needs. We gathered from our interviews that officials found it valuable when existing relationships enabled them to pick up the phone to engage with relevant academics on a time-sensitive topic and use insights to provide ministers and relevant teams with a policy response in a timely manner. Our 2026 report on how government can improve its approach to researcher engagement, which this and four further ‘deep dives’ are accompanying, discusses in more depth some of the cultural changes required within the civil service to enable these kinds of interactions.

This would partly address a key problem with churn, as equipping officials with the motivation and skills to form personal networks ensures they can access specialist knowledge more confidently, even when new to a role. Beyond personal contacts, enabling connections to be sustained institutionally and developing systems of close contact with existing knowledge mobilisers and knowledge brokering organisations further ensure continuity within the department when civil servants move policy areas. Combining these approaches would also reduce the risks of patchy networking: over reliance on familiar contacts privileges the same voices and stymies alternative or emerging insights. Departments should strengthen routes for external engagement and actively promote dynamic networks drawing on diverse academic voices across career stages, broadening perspectives and creating a more sustainable, evolving pool of potential expert advisers.