MetroPolis provides academicswith a range of opportunities,training and support
MetroPolis provides academics with a range of opportunities, training and support
Fellowship and Funding Opportunities
The Chancellor’s Fellowship
Our prestigious MetroPolis Chancellor’s Fellowship scheme offers high-quality researchers placements with external organisations to help them address specific policy challenges.
This scheme enables Chancellor’s Fellows to work closely with their partner organisation, with financial support from MetroPolis (e.g. travel grants for attending select committees and meetings, funding for creating policy briefs and materials, etc.)
Key benefits for partners include:
- Access to Cutting-Edge Research and Expertise: Partners can tap into specialist academic knowledge and research capabilities that may not be available in-house. This helps them stay ahead of trends and inform their decision-making with evidence-based insights.
- Driving Innovation and Problem-Solving: Fellows often work on specific, real-world problems identified by the partner organisation, which helps to accelerate research and development (R&D), develop innovative solutions, and validate new ideas or technologies.
- Enhanced Credibility and Reputation: Collaborating with a prestigious academic institution and its researchers can enhance an external partner’s public image and add a level of credibility to their outputs/activities.
- Networking and Long-Term Collaboration: Fellowships facilitate the building of strong personal and corporate links and networks between the academic and non-academic sectors, which often lead to sustained, long-term strategic partnerships and future joint initiatives.
- Access to Resources and Facilities: External partners may gain access to additional support including: university supported events, production of resources and other dissemination channels (social media etc)
- Exposure to New Perspectives: Working with academics brings fresh insights and diverse perspectives to commercial or policy challenges, which can enhance organisational creativity and lead to a more balanced approach to problem-solving
For further information and an application form, please click on the link below (this is for internal Manchester Met staff only)
The Chancellor’s Visiting Fellowship
The Chancellor’s Visiting Fellowship is an exciting opportunity for experienced policy professionals to collaborate with researchers at Manchester Metropolitan University and help translate academic work into real-world policy impact. Designed for individuals with 5–10+ years in government, think tanks, charities, or business policy units, the Fellowship offers up to £8,000 in funding to support a flexible 20–30 day placement. Fellows can propose a research team to work with or be matched through MetroPolis, gaining unique insight into the research process while shaping meaningful outcomes. Applications are open year-round—email mcrmetropolis@mmu.ac.uk to get started.
Internal Funding Scheme
If you are interested in applying for internal funding from MetroPolis, please check out our rapid response funding scheme with short turnaround times (and a rolling deadline) to help researchers engage with policy makers and other key stakeholders. Please note this funding is not available for doctoral students.
Supporting your Policy Impact
MetroPolis Policy Briefing Series
The MetroPolis Policy Briefing Series is a unique opportunity for Manchester Met academics to share impactful, policy-focused research that addresses critical themes and contributes to key policy debates.
This is suitable for for a group of researchers with a strong research track record and a clear policy focus in their work.
To find out more, please read the below Expression of Interest document.
Overton
The University has a subscription to Overton, the world’s largest searchable database of policy-type documents (including guidelines, regulatory frameworks, working papers and outputs from thinktanks). Overton extract topics, subject areas, authors, citations, and other metadata from each document, and helps users track the influence of research on government policy, both locally and internationally. The platform can therefore help us discover where Manchester Met research may be influencing or changing practice in the real world.
“The Fellowship was an invaluable opportunity to gain insight into Westminster’s policymaking process – how policy is developed, how to engage ministers, and how to influence decisions effectively”.– Professor Hannah Smithson, Chancellor’s Fellow
“The Visiting Chancellor’s Fellowship has enabled a genuine two-way exchange of knowledge between researchers and policymakers”.– Dr Tommaso Spinelli, Visiting Chancellor’s Fellow
MetroPolis works with a range of organisations to help researchers engage with policy-making. Below you’ll find resources on engaging with the UK Parliament and the Civil Service, alongside tools, guides and information on key policy organisations.
The UK Parliament
Parliament for Researchers
A step-by-step guide on how researchers can collaborate with Parliament.
The Knowledge Exchange Unit
The Knowledge Exchange Unit (KEU) works to support the exchange of information and expertise between researchers and the UK Parliament.
The Magenta Book
HM Treasury publishes guidance on policy evaluation in the Magenta Book and on how to appraise policies, programmes and projects, including using economic evaluation in The Green Book.
The UK Civil Service and ARIs (Areas of Research Interest)
Areas of Research Interest Government Database
Browse and examine Areas of Research Interest (ARIs) published by UK government departments to identify how your expertise could contribute to solving problems and informing policy.
Areas of Research Interest: A Practical Guide
UPEN has published Areas of Research Interest: A Practical Guide, a step-by-step resource to help organisations identify evidence needs & make research engagement more systematic.
The Open Innovation Team
The Open Innovation Team within the Civil Service works across the public sector, including with academics and is focused on innovation in policy design.
Guides On How To Formulate Evidence-Based Policy Making
Transforming Research and Policy
A handbook on connecting research with policymaking by MetroPolis.
Meaningful Youth Engagement in Policymaking and Decision-Making Processes
A detailed guide published by the UN on how to ensure youth engagement is meaningful and effective- from the perspective of both youth constituencies and of policymakers.
How to Write a Policy Brief
Presentation slides on how to write a policy brief, published by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
How to Influence Policymakers
Publication by the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council on how researchers can engage with Parliament.
Policy Organisations and Think-Tanks
Transforming Research and Policy
CAPE host a number of excellent policy events and a have series of useful policy guides. These include the Engaging with Evidence Toolkit, Areas of Research Interest Toolkit and guide on Awarding Funding for academic policy projects.
The Institute for Government
The Institute for Government is a think tank that focuses on the workings of government and policy-making.
The What Works Network
The What Works Network aims to improve the way government and other public sector organisations create, share and use high-quality evidence in decision-making.
