The Parliamentary Internship provided great insight into how to transform academic research into actionable policy. What was most enlightening about the experience was adjusting my theory driven knowledge of space power to fit policy lexicon and ambitions.” “Transforming academic research into actionable policy helped me bridge theory and practice. Working with Lord Willetts on space policy research provided great insight into how vital it is for strategists to bridge this gap and speak the same language across sectors; this is especially important when considering topics like security, national ambition, and cohesive growth.
Programme Participant, 2023-24
10 July 2024
Celebrating the third cohort of King's Parliamentary Research Interns at the House of Lords
King's celebrates the next cohort of our Parliamentary Research Interns at an event in Parliament.
Last week, King's Careers & Employability and The Policy Institute celebrated the culmination of the third cohort of the King's Parliamentary Research Internships programme at a celebration event in Parliament.
The Programme, a partnership between both departments, is a unique opportunity for PhD and postdoctoral researchers to engage directly with the inner workings of Parliament.
Established in 2020 by Baroness Deborah Bull CBE, the programme has seen over 20 researchers undertake a 10-month part-time internships directly supporting the work of Peers in the House of Lords and providing participants first-hand experience of how evidence and analysis can be used to inform policymaking, while peers gain valuable assistance from skilled researchers.
This year saw eight interns matched with Peers from across the political spectrum, together with a Policy Translation Intern role designed to help bridge the interns' research and learning and open up doors for knowledge and policy exchange into King's College London.
Interns are individually matched with Peers who will, through the partnership, have the opportunity to observe and, indirectly, contribute to the work of the Peer in and beyond Parliament. In a tailored programme devised between the Intern and the Peer, they will work both independently and may have some involvement in broader engagement fora and structures including APPGs, select committees or wider involvement with Peers’ individual work beyond Parliament.
Each specific internship will vary in the tasks undertaken but is supported by an education programme delivered by The Policy Institute and King's Careers & Employability. As part of the internship, all interns also are given a mentor from the Policy Institute.
The programme epitomises King’s College London’s commitment to partnerships that ensure knowledge has real purpose beyond the university, and to preparing researchers for their next steps in life by building their skills and knowledge and enhancing future career outcomes for researchers.
Applications for the 2024-25 programme are now open to PhD and postdoctoral candidates studying at King's.
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Associate Director (Employer Engagement & Work-based Learning)
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