(Or, How to Make Friends & Influence Policy)
Two-day residential course at Holyrood 19-20 November 2015

Applications closed on 21 October 2015

Do you ever want to escape the ivory towers of academia & connect your work directly with the wider world? Does your research have the potential to influence governmental, cultural & institutional policy, if only the right people would listen? Do you want to sharpen your communication skills in this story-driven, soundbite-friendly media landscape? If you answered YES to any or all of the above, then this course is for you!

Policy Stories is a 2-day residential programme at the Scottish Storytelling Centre & the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, 19-20 November 2015. Travel & accommodation will be covered by the SGSAH. You’ll work with government ministers, cultural bosses, academics, professional storytellers & more to discover how your research can impact policy making. You’ll also be treated to dinner, a tour of Holyrood & numerous networking opportunities with major players in policy making.

This is a unique, innovative & exclusive event which could give your post-PhD career the edge. This event is designed for researchers in the Arts & Humanities in the third and/or final year of their PhD, although we have a limited number of places available for Early Career Researchers & doctoral researchers in the Social Sciences.  

Speakers include:

• Professor Philip Schlesinger, Professor of Cultural Policy at the University of Glasgow & Academic Director of the Centre for Public Policy Research - As an accomplished academic with years’ experience researching & influencing cultural policy, Professor Schlesinger will give the lowdown on how researchers can have a real impact on policy-making. He’ll share approaches, reveal opportunities & explore the challenges & rewards of working with governmental & cultural institutions, giving you the tools & knowledge you need to start thinking about how your research can make a difference.
• Mike Russell, Former Minister for Culture & Former Cabinet Secretary for Education & Lifelong Learning - A Holyrood major player, Mike knows exactly what ministers are looking for when it comes to engaging with researchers. He’ll run a ‘Brief the Minister’ workshop, using practical activities & examples to ensure your research can have the impact it deserves in the upper echelons of government.
• Philip Deverell, Director of Strategy with Creative Scotland. Philip’s ‘Story of a Policy Maker’ will present a first-hand account of how policies are developed in Scotland’s primary arts policy & funding body Creative Scotland.
• Dr Annie Tindley, University of Dundee, Fellow of the RSE Academy of Scotland - Dr Tindley’s research on welfare in the Highlands & Islands during the 19th century was a big influence on the debate around general practice in remote & rural Scotland & led to new training being designed, GP placements & a debate in the Scottish Parliament. In ‘A Story of a History & Policy’, she’ll talk you through the process, sharing experiences, tips & techniques learned along the way.
• Marion Kenny artist & storyteller based in Edinburgh - will workshop with the delegates on how to effectively weave their research into its own story
• Paul Grice, Scottish Parliament Clerk/Chief Executive - will brief the delegation on the intricacies of Parliament Service
• Noel Fojut, formerly Team Leader for Legislation, Culture & Heritage Division, Scottish Government & Terry Shevlin, Education & Culture Committee Clerk, Scottish Parliament - will tell the story about how the HES Act 2014 was passed through Parliament

The course will culminate on Friday afternoon in an extended workshop session with Dr. Mark O’Neill (Director of Policy, Research & Development at Glasgow Life) & Dr. Jane Donald (RSNO, Director of External Relations) & Stuart MacDonald (Founder & Executive Director of the Centre for Cultural Relations, University of Edinburgh) in which delegates will consolidate the knowledge they’ve gained & skills they’ve learned into a 2-minute pitch for fellow participants. By the end of the course you’ll have everything you need to get your research out of the academy & make real, positive differences in the wider world.

Please see the Policy Stories website here for full programme details.

First published: 2 October 2015