as a bridge between different areas of the civil service all working towards the same goal but with limited inter-department interaction. So there are real opportunities for collaboration between academia and policymakers to improve the way the country is governed. Of course, this relationship is not always going to be harmonious. Consideration must be given to what happens if research findings deliver a series of inconvenient truths that policymakers, for political or economic reasons, would rather ignore? The preliminary assessments from the REF impact pilot panels are that universities will receive as much credit for proving they have made a significant contribution to public debate as they would for a reference in a policy document. Clearly, universities can learn from charities and campaign groups and linking up with third sector lobbyists who cite research findings in their campaign literature and seeking opposition politicians pushing for evidence-based policy change are all skills that academics will have to nurture. Monk (2011) argued that policymakers are looking to academia to devote more energy to feeding research into the policy domain in the light of spending cuts that have reduced the numbers of government academics.
According to O’Brien (2011), this can happen in the way they communicate their research findings to a policy audience. Civil servants may sometimes lack expert knowledge in their policy field because of regular staff reshuffles. They are nearly always time pressured. It is hardly surprising that they respond unfavorably to lengthy technical documents landing on their tables. Explaining how academic
research can benefit society, using incisive and engaging language in concise, well- designed briefings that can be shared with non-specialist peers and political lords and masters, is a key skill, but lobbying for policy change goes beyond that. It is about patience and persistence and developing long-term relationships, based on trust and respect, with those that have influence in the relevant policy area.
To succeed, universities will have to devise strategies at a central level for policymaker engagement. Academics need support in involving government advisors right from the outset of the research process rather than at the end.
Shebba (2011) identified three areas in which academia lagged behind think-tanks in its capacity to influence policy: 1. Failure to produce clear outcomes without caveats;
2. Reluctance to clearly define policy implications; and 3. Difficulty in communicating findings in an accessible way.
Policy decisions involving academic staff of the University have been fairly limited. When successful, these would help to publicise the key roles played by the academics involved and would encourage others to follow in their footsteps. There are many reasons however, why this is an area fraught with difficulties especially when unsuccessful.
The Government led policy process is implemented in collaboration with civil society. To ensure transparency and credibility, a large
January 2012 | Management Today 59
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