Connecting academia and policy making through students
The Policy Institute is partnering with the London Research and Policy Partnership (LRaPP) on a new initiative to explore how students can meaningfully contribute to public policy development across London’s governance structures, including the GLA and local councils. Delivered through a Consultant Policy Fellowship, the project aims to build the evidence base on best practices for student engagement at every level of education—school, undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral—by identifying effective pathways into the policy ecosystem. By combining academic insight with practical opportunities, this collaboration will examine how students can be supported and empowered to work alongside policymakers, contributing to real-world challenges while building skills for civic and professional leadership. This work builds on LRaPP’s Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders project, advancing knowledge mobilisation by embedding students as active participants in the policy process.