Policy | Challenge

Open to all researchers, in every faculty, at any campus, Policy|Challenge is an opportunity to gain access to up to £5 000 of dissemination funding and the expertise of Public Policy|Southampton to project your research into the line of sight of regional, national and global policymakers turning your evidence into sound policy.

To enter tell us about your research and its policy relevance by using the Apply button referring to the Guidance Notes before the 14th October 2016. Successful applicants will be notified by 14th November 2016.

Testimonials from 2015/2016 Policy|Challenge winners (formally known as Policy Commission)

Democracy Matters - Citizens Assembly South

" Public Policy|Southampton awarded me a Policy Commission to support knowledge transfer as part of our ESRC-funded project ‘Democracy Matters’, which organised citizens’ assemblies on the issue of devolution in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

PP|S were crucial to our engagement with stakeholders in the devolution process – coordinating and convening follow-up briefings/meetings where findings from the project were disseminated, and opportunities for further policy-relevant research were explored. The Commission was a great opportunity to get support with a systematic programme of impact activities"

Will Jennings

Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, Director of the Centre for Citizenship, Globalisation and Governance, Head of Department of Politics & International Relations,

Learn more about this project here and read the policy brief here

Taking Pregnancy Seriously in Metaphysics, Ethics and Epistemology

"The Public Policy|Southampton Commission allowed me to fund several trips to the Netherlands to engage directly with policymakers and pressure groups, as well as produce a policy-brief that was discussed in Parliament. It was a main catalyst in enabling, assisting (and forcing me to commit to) bringing my research to the attention of policymakers and other relevant stakeholders.

In addition to the financial support, the PP|S was of tremendous help in advising on avenues and possible approaches, putting me in touch with relevant people, and thinking through strategy. It has been an essential component in transforming a set of general impacts-ideas into actual, measurable “impact” and the whole experience, whilst high-pressure, has improved my confidence and skills in taking on similar endeavours in future. I wholeheartedly recommend colleagues apply for this opportunity"

Elselijn Kingma

Associate Professor in Philosophy, University of Southampton

Learn more about this project here and read the policy brief here

Mentally Healthy Southampton

"We applied for funding to develop a policy brief and launch event to disseminate our findings for our mental health prevention project which has been in collaboration with local CCG, LA, NHS Trust, Voluntary agencies, Children’s services and other areas of the University.

The funding enabled us to develop the brief which has been very widely circulated and well received through social media including retweeted and commented upon by the last and the current National Clinical Directors for Mental Health. It was launched with speakers from Public Health England and the Mental Health Foundation and an audience made up of practitioners, commissioners and users. PP|S assistance with this, as well as the funding, was very helpful, knowledgeable and made readily available – and made the dissemination of the underlying research and development of the project happen. It certainly contributed substantially to the end product which is avaiable below. The PP|S management of the project set clear goals and with agreed deliverables which fortunately we were able to meet and for which we are grateful. We hope to be able to work with PP|S on other similar projects in the future."

David Kingdon

Professor of Mental Health Care Delivery/Clinical Services Director (AMH SHFT), University of Southampton

Learn more about this project here and read the policy brief here

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