Policy engagement

Engaging with policymakers is an important and effective pathway to research impact. It involves building constructive relationships with those shaping decisions that affect communities, institutions, and society. The policy community includes politicians, government officials, advisers, and other stakeholders responsible for shaping and implementing policy.

Policy engagement:

• Helps ensure that research evidence informs decisions on issues that affect people and communities
• Allows researchers to highlight gaps or needs that policy can address
• Provides opportunities to influence the direction of policy and public debate
• Can strengthen cases for funding or investment in research
• Enables scrutiny of governmental or corporate actions to safeguard public interest and wellbeing

Policy engagement will vary depending on the issue, the audience, and the stage of the policy process.

Examples include:

• Meeting with policymakers to share evidence or expertise
• Contributing submissions to select committees, inquiries, or consultations
• Developing clear, accessible policy briefs tailored to decision-makers
• Participating in advisory boards, working groups, or commissions
• Building long-term relationships with ministries, agencies, or local government
• Collaborating with intermediaries such as think tanks, NGOs, or professional bodies

• Articles, reports and policy briefs: While traditional academic publications remain a central route, peer-reviewed journal articles, industry reports, and policy briefs all serve as credible sources of evidence for decision-makers.
• Media coverage: Alongside formal publications, media coverage plays an important role in amplifying research. By increasing visibility through mass media, researchers can boost the likelihood that their work is noticed by influential stakeholders and reaches public conversations that shape policy agendas.
• Presentations: Engagement through presentations – such as conferences, workshops, and seminars – provides opportunities for research to be discussed, questioned, and better understood. These interactions not only build awareness but also help refine messages for policy audiences.
• Panels and committees: Contributing expertise through advisory panels or government committees offers a direct avenue for researchers to inform policy development and contribute to decision-making processes.
• Partnerships and collaborations: Working with well-known organisations can extend the reach of research, strengthen its credibility, and create mutually beneficial platforms for impact.
• Accessible content: Developing accessible content through summaries, infographics, videos, or tailored resources helps ensure that research findings are understandable and usable for diverse audiences, increasing the chances they will be taken up in policy contexts.

External resources

• Engaging with policy – resources to help scientists navigate a complex interface (Riddet Institute website)
• Strategic policy engagement: Resources for effective policy engagement (Fast Track Impact website)
• A guide to working with policy makers (National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement)
• Creating policy briefs (Research Impact Handbook)
• Developing your strategy: Rapid Outcome Mapping Approach – from ODI (Digital Societies Programme)

Public Policy Institute (PPI)

It may be possible to collaborate with the Public Policy Institute (PPI), a University research institute.

It fosters independent, critical research on key policy issues affecting New Zealand and the world, specialising in the following:

• Transdisciplinary relationships to bring researchers and organisations together to collaborate on projects
• Partnering with government institutions, NGOs, non-profit organisations, and communities to get research done or promote research

Note that the PPI is an academic institute and not a service division, and therefore, you will need to build collaboration costs into your funding applications.

Research Impact Team
Email: researchimpact@auckland.ac.nz