Events from OPEN
OPEN offers a diverse range of activities throughout the year, including workshops, talks, masterclasses, and networking events. These events offer practical guidance to researchers and policymakers on how to collaborate effectively and bridge the gap between their respective areas of expertise.
Researchers and professional services staff from all areas of the University are welcome to take part in OPEN's activities, and increase their confidence for engaging with policymakers and better understand how to bridge the divide between their areas of expertise and work together in effective ways.
New events are being added regularly so Join OPEN or follow OPEN on Bluesky and on LinkedIn for updates.
7 Oct | Getting Started in Policy Engagement
14:00 - 15:00, Teams (registration required)
Are you interested in building connections between academia and policy, and in sharing your research to help shape better public policies? This introductory session is designed for researchers, DPhil students, and professional services staff who are new to policy engagement and want to develop a structured understanding of how to get started.
Through a combination of short presentations and discussion with peers, participants will explore their motivations for impact and gain practical insights into engaging with the public policy world.
Learning outcomes
- A better understanding of the differences between policy influence, impact, and engagement
- Enhanced understanding of the policy process at different levels of government (local, regional, national and international)
- Increased awareness of practical tools and strategies to create a policy engagement plan
Intended audience
Researchers, DPhil Students, and Professional Services Staff.
Facilitator
Jose Rojas Alvarado, Learning & Development Manager, OPEN
Dr. Sara Ratner, Post-doctoral researcher, Deparment of Education, University of Oxford
Register here for 'Getting started in policy engagement'
14 Oct | Medical Sciences Division: Stakeholder Mapping for Academic-Policy Engagement
14:00 - 16:00, Meeting Suite, Linacre College, In person only
Who do you need to engage with in the policy world to achieve impact? In this workshop, we will help answer this and other questions by equipping Medical Sciences researchers, DPhil students, and professional services staff to identify and map the people and groups who influence or are impacted by their research, when it comes to policy engagement. Using stakeholder analysis frameworks and interactive exercises, participants will learn to identify and categorize their relevant audiences across government agencies and other pertinent policy actors.
Learning outcomes
- A greater ability to identify, evaluate, and prioritise those in the policymaking community who may have an interest in policy-relevant research
- A better understanding of
- The value of systematic stakeholder analysis
- The guidance and resources available to support stakeholder analysis
Intended audience
Researchers from all divisions, DPhil Students, and Professional Services Staff from the Medical Sciences Division
Facilitators
Naomi Gibson, Public and Policy Engagement Facilitator, Medical Sciences Division
Jose Rojas Alvarado, Learning & Development Manager, OPEN
Register here for 'MSD: Stakeholder mapping for policy engagement'
11 Nov | OPEN Workshop: From Research to Policy Writing
13:30 - 17:00, Nash Suite, Worcester College, In person only
This hands-on workshop is designed to help researchers strengthen their ability to communicate effectively with policy professionals. Across two 90-minute sessions, participants will develop a clearer understanding of how policy writing differs from academic writing, and why accessibility, clarity, and relevance are essential for impact.
The first session sets the scene, exploring how research informs policy, why effective communication matters, and what makes writing resonate with non-academic audiences. Insights from researchers with direct experience of influencing policy will ground the discussion in real-world practice.
The second session shifts to application. Through practical exercises and peer feedback, participants will learn how to plan, structure, and refine written outputs such as policy briefs, op-eds, and written evidence.
Intended audience
Researchers, DPhil Students, and Professional Services Staff
Facilitator
Rosaleen Cunningham, OPEN Senior Communications Officer
13 Nov | Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division: Stakeholder Mapping for Academic-Policy Engagement
10:00 - 12:00, Venue TBC, In person
Who do you need to engage with in the policy world to achieve impact? In this workshop, we will help answer this and other questions by equipping Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences (MPLS) researchers, DPhil students, and professional services staff to identify and map the people and groups who influence or are impacted by their research, when it comes to policy engagement. Using stakeholder analysis frameworks and interactive exercises, participants will learn to identify and categorize their relevant audiences across government agencies and other pertinent policy actors.
Learning outcomes
- A greater ability to identify, evaluate, and prioritise those in the policymaking community who may have an interest in policy-relevant research
- A better understanding of:
- The value of systematic stakeholder analysis
- The guidance and resources available to support stakeholder analysis
Facilitator
Jose Rojas Alvarado, Learning & Development Manager, OPEN
Intended audience
Researchers, DPhil Students, and Professional Services Staff from the MPLS Division
Register here for 'MPLS Division: Stakeholder mapping for policy engagement'
26 Nov | Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning from Policy Engagement Part 1
10:00 - 12:00, Seminar Room 8, St Anne's College, In person only
Putting in place effective processes for learning is key to getting better at policy engagement, and to meeting some of the demands we face to demonstrate the impact of our work. But what tools and resources can we use - and how do we use them?
To help researchers answer these questions, the Policy Engagement Team is offering this short course, comprising two parts, each lasting 2 hours.
In Part 1, participants will engage in small-group and plenary activities. They will learn about effective techniques for monitoring, evaluation, and learning related to policy engagement. These concepts are then applied through drafting a theory of change.
Supplementary materials, including PowerPoint slides, handouts, and recommended reading and resources will be provided to participants, further embedding the concepts covered.
Intended audience
Researchers, DPhil Students, and Professional Services Staff
Facilitator
Jose Rojas Alvarado, Learning & Development Manager, OPEN
2 Dec | OPEN Conversation: What Can Researchers Learn from Science Advice at the European Union Level?
15:00 - 16:30, Online
How is scientific evidence turned into policy at the European Commission? What challenges do advisors face and what opportunities exist for researchers to contribute?
This panel brings together Professor Nicole Grobert (former Chief Scientific Advisor; University of Oxford), Karen Fabbri (Deputy Head of Unit, Science for Policy, Advice & Ethics at the European Commission), and Jonathan Murphy (Policy Officer, Scientific Advice Mechanism). They will reflect on the role and impact of the Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) and share personal experiences of advising at the highest level, and discuss lessons learned from real-world case studies. The panel will be chaired by Dr. Guillaume Matthews, Faraday Research Fellow in the Department of Materials, University of Oxford.
Participants will gain insights into how science advice works in practice and how researchers can engage with European policy processes.
Register here for 'What can researchers learn from Science Advice at the EU level?'
3 Dec | Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning from Policy Engagement Part 2
10:00 - 12:00, Seminar Room 8, St Anne's College, In person only
Putting in place effective processes for learning is key to getting better at policy engagement, and to meeting some of the demands we face to demonstrate the impact of our work. But what tools and resources can we use - and how do we use them?
To help researchers answer these questions, the Policy Engagement Team is offering this short course, comprising two parts, each lasting 2 hours.
In Part 2, participants will expand their understanding of tracking outputs and impacts throughout the project cycle by utilizing pertinent tools and techniques. They will put their knowledge into practice by applying one of the previously reviewed tools within the context of a case study.
Supplementary materials, including PowerPoint slides, handouts, and recommended reading and resources will be provided to participants, further embedding the concepts covered.
Learning outcomes
- A better understanding of the foundational concepts of monitoring and evaluation, including the principles and methodologies used to assess policy engagement outcomes
- More proficiency to develop a theory of change, and to track outcomes and impacts
Intended audience
Researchers, DPhil Students, and Professional Services Staff
Facilitator
Jose Rojas Alvarado, Learning & Development Manager, OPEN
Register here for 'MEL from policy engagement (both parts)'
To explore more events related to policy and research that are taking place across the University, visit the Research and Public Policy Collection on OxTalks.
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