Interrogating the Higher Education Research / Policy Interface

Higher education researchers often want their research to make a difference, and policy makers often profess a commitment to evidence-based policy-making, but how easy is it to communicate across these different communities? This seminar will provide an opportunity to explore these issues.

Reflecting on her attempts to publicise research showing that White and privately educated applicants are more likely to be offered places at Russell Group universities than equally well qualified applicants from ethnic minority backgrounds and state schools, Dr. Boliver considers ways to foster productive engagement with bad-news research findings.

Professor Gallacher  draws on his experience of working both as an active researcher and co-director of the Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning (CRLL), and an adviser to the Scottish Parliament and a member of the board of the Scottish Funding Council, to consider whether the policy and research communities can have meaningful dialogues.