Submissions open for OIT’s Policy Fellowship 2025 (UK)

Deadline: 24 February 2025

The Open Innovation Team (OIT) is inviting applications for its Policy Fellowship Programme, an academic mentoring scheme for civil servants grades SEO-G6.

The OIT Policy Fellowship is a bespoke, flexible, part-time mentoring programme which aims to support officials who want further help and expert insight to answer a specific policy question. Over the course of six months, civil servants (SEO-G6) work under the supervision of an academic mentor in a relevant field to research and produce an output based on their policy area. Academic mentors are drawn from OIT partner institutions: Brunel University London, the University of Essex, Lancaster University, the University of Surrey and the University of York. This round follows a successful second cohort of the Fellowship.

Focus Areas

This year they have expanded the programme with mentors who specialise in a wide range of research topics, including but limited to:
- Education
  - Educational inequalities
  - School effectiveness
  - Mental health and education
  - Special educational needs and disabilities
  - Sex and relationships education
  - Language and literacy education
- Health & Social Care
  - NHS workforce and organization
  - Digital healthcare and medical interventions
  - Adult and family health
  - Ageing
  - Palliative care
  - Mental healthcare
  - Health inequalities
  - Child poverty, food insecurity and nutrition
  - Disability and accessibility
  - Child development
- Environment & Sustainability
  - Sustainability in the curriculum and research
  - Sustainable energy and alternative fuels
  - Environmental engineering
  - Circular economy
  - Sustainable materials
  - Decarbonisation
  - Clean water, air quality and pollution
  - Coastal defence
  - Green digital infrastructures
- Artificial Intelligence, Digital & Data
  - AI and digital healthcare
  - AI policy and transformation
  - AI and robotics
  - Cybersecurity for businesses
  - Green digital infrastructures
- Government
  - Intelligence and security
  - Electoral modernisation and integrity
  - Government communication strategies
  - Productivity, innovation and transformation
- Business, Work & Employment
  - Work and employment
  - Working carers
  - Management science and industrial organization
  - Entrepreneurship and strategy
- Other Policy Areas
  - Creative industries
  - Coastal communities
  - The justice system
  - Inequalities (including health, education and income)

Benefits

The Fellowship gives officials the opportunity to make new contacts, learn new skills and build subject knowledge, including data analysis and interpretation.
Fellows from previous cohorts reported more confidence engaging with academic research and experts in their policy area.

Expected Output

Fellows are expected to produce a research output (e.g. a policy paper or a literature review) based on their work during the Fellowship.
You will also be required to complete an evaluation based on your experience of the Fellowship.

Eligibility Criteria

The Policy Fellowship is suitable for any civil servant SEO-G6 who has a specific policy-relevant question that they feel would benefit from further research supported by an academic expert. The Fellowship will equip you with new technical skills, confidence engaging with academic research, and expanded networks of academics working in your policy area.
Previous cohorts included fellows from: The Cabinet Office, Department for Education, Government Office for Science, Department of Health and Social Care, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the Fast Stream.

For more information, visit GOV.UK.