New University of Leicester institute aims to put research into policymaking practice

Centre Director, Professor Neil Chakraborti, left, and Policy Manager, Dr Jack Willoughby.

The University of Leicester has launched a policy institute to strengthen the ties between its world-renowned research community and decision makers around the globe.

The University’s Institute for Policy will bring together academics and policymakers, such as politicians, civil servants, think-tanks and governmental organisations, to ensure its research has a real-world impact and can help solve policy challenges.

The Institute for Policy will provide independent analysis on key policy issues facing the UK and beyond. The Institute’s main aims will be to:

  • Shape policy and influence decision-making to improve lives and livelihoods in the region, nationally and globally.
  • Optimise the impact of Leicester’s research across the full breadth of the University to ensure that it shapes positive and lasting change within the world around us.

Its Founding Director, Professor Neil Chakraborti, said: “In times of escalating challenges, universities can play a key role in shaping effective, evidence-based decision making. At the Institute of Policy we will respond to these challenges by prioritising the existing and emerging needs of policymakers and by communicating the University of Leicester’s world-leading research in ways that are accessible, immediate and relevant. In doing so we can use our research evidence to unlock change and to address real-world problems.”

The institute’s launch comes after the University scored its best-ever performance in the Times Higher Education’s analysis of the Research Excellence Framework 2021, which saw it ranked 30th overall for research, out of 157 UK universities.

The analysis found 89% of Leicester’s research is classed as ‘world-leading’ (4*) or ‘internationally excellent’ (3*), and more than half (52%) of Leicester research was assessed as ‘world-leading’ (4*) for its impact.

Leicester has a long track record of working with policymakers, with recent examples including:

  • Chris Brightling, Clinical Professor in Respiratory Medicine, and Kamlesh Khunti, Professor of Primary Care Diabetes and Vascular Medicine, sitting on the SAGE Committee during the pandemic. Professor Khunti chaired the ethnic sub-panel and was among the first to identify the disproportional impact of the virus on people from ethnic minorities. Professor Brightling is leading the national PHOSP-COVID study, assessing the health impacts of COVID-19 on patients and their rehabilitation.

  • Professor of Politics, Rick Whitaker, completing his term as one of the initial Thematic Research Leads in Parliament.

  • Leicester Law School students providing free legal advice to Leicester residents from the Commonwealth to apply for the UK Government’s Windrush Compensation Scheme.

The institute comprises four thematic hubs, covering Climate Change, Space, Health and Justice. Each hub will have its own series of key events, while policy briefing papers which fall under each theme are continually developed by the Institute’s team.

The Institute has already made an impact in supporting Leicester’s research, by collating the evidence for the recent UN Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) submission, which saw the University top the UK rankings for Higher Education Institutions.

Visit the Institute for Policy website for more details.