Institute for Youth in Policy’s Post

If you want to learn more about how policy processes work in the EU and how you can engage with them, consider attending this year's Good Lobby summer academy which will take place in Bilbao from 22-25 July! Knowing how and when to engage with policymakers can help you to ensure relevant scientific information is heard and used by policymakers. Some particular sessions of interest include: ‘Can responsible lobbying be taught?’ and ‘How do policymakers like to be lobbied?’ Read more about the summer academy programme here 👇 https://lnkd.in/dK_Q2EX5

As you know, I submitted and 'defended' (without really defending anything, it was simply a wonderful conversation among curious people and I loved every minute of it). Just now, I received my 'diploma' along with the final confirmation that I have now actually been awarded the degree. It's been a while, already, time rushes on, but it's nice to get here. While I'm not much for bragging, there are a few paragraphs in the assessment that just gives me goosebumps every time I read them, and maybe sharing these words is ok? They affect me so strongly, because I feel seen, it seems the brilliant people in the committee understood exactly what I was trying to do with my many words and experiments. They played along and they sensed the spirit enough to kindly provide me with clever suggestions on how I can continue my academic journey. Anyway, I cannot read the following words without being surprised and grateful. Here goes: 'The dissertation is cleverly constructed, and Mathias has found a form that meets the unfolding and questioning nature of the inquiry. The direct address of the reader brings us into the play space in which the dissertation performatively creates a junk play space on the page. This helps the reader understand and experience Mathias’s argument that democracy is an assemblage on the move (an ongoing process), rather than a (static) product or outcome. This is an elegant, beautifully written, and cleverly presented thesis that draws the reader in from the very first page and guides them into an original and courageous exploration of democracy as an assemblage in a continuous state of becoming. It bridges seamlessly between different literatures, in so doing contributing to expanding both conceptualisations of democracy and democratic practices and methodological approaches to study these.' And now I cry a little again. I could never have hoped for such beautiful, caring, affirmative words stuck on the back of what feels like the most crazy, silly, ambitious, important and transformative piece of work I have ever done (other than perhaps CounterPlay). ❤

Revisiting a gem from our archives today that remains as insightful in 2024 as it was in 2020: "What is Assessment?" DIA's Founder and Managing Director discusses the distinctions between assessment and testing in education, emphasizing the importance of understanding these terms for effective decision-making and educational policy debates, and advocating for a broader focus on feedback and intervention within the assessment process. https://lnkd.in/eAU-SKFU

🔍 Unraveling the Ken Conundrum: A Masters' Union Student’s Perspective 📰 Morning Intellect: Perusing "The Ken" with a Cup of Wisdom Yesterday morning, armed with my cup of wisdom, I delved into an article by "The Ken," expecting insightful revelations on my beloved institution, Masters’ Union (MU). Little did I know, it was more of a comedic show than an informative read. 💬 Ken's Quest for Quandaries: A Quizzical Review The Ken seems to be on a quest for mysteries, but it's more like a scavenger hunt gone wrong. Accusing us of lacking a sprawling campus? Well, last I checked, we are here for knowledge, not a real estate beauty pageant. 🚮 The Ken’s Art of Satire: A Diplomatic Critique The Ken attempts a rather interesting brand of satire, branding our innovative approach as unconventional crap. It's like labeling a Picasso as "weird art." The attempt at humor is noted, but let's not confuse satire with a misguided comedy sketch. 🔍 Navigating the Ken's Myopic Vision: Seeing Beyond the Horizon Size comparisons with larger institutions and accreditation debates? Really, The Ken? It's akin to comparing a sleek sports car with a cargo truck. We’re not in a size competition; we're here for transformative education. Perhaps a refocused lens is in order. 🔥 The Ken's Lighthearted Placement Chronicles: A Giggle-Worthy Tale Ah, The Ken decided to critique our placement season – apparently, structure is overrated. Well, guess what? Flexibility is the MU mantra, and we're rocking it. Can we get a round of applause for our placement dance? 📣 In Closing: A Gentle Applause for The Ken's Whimsical Chronicles In the grand symphony of educational commentary, The Ken seems to be playing its own tune. However, Masters’ Union deserves a more nuanced review. Let's keep the laughs constructive and the critiques enlightening. #MastersUnionPerspective #TheKenChronicles #EducationalBanter Pratham Mittal Masters' Union The Ken Rohin Dharmakumar Link-https://lnkd.in/dCwfdwhz

If you are a University of Nottingham researcher planning to apply for our Quality-Related Policy Support Funding (QR-PSF), we would like to show you what makes a good project and what type of approaches are included. In the last three years, we have been able to support a wide range of projects at all stages of the policy engagement process from conception and capacity building through to implementation. In this blog post, we take a look at some of those projects and explore some of the factors behind their success. Read here: https://lnkd.in/eQpvZuKW

The Eu-SPRI Forum was held this week in Enschede, bringing together over 350 people from mostly European institutions interested in science, technology, and innovation (STI) policy. The following points stood out for me: - We are finally getting a more nuanced and empirically informed debate about how missions and transformative policy are implemented. The boundary between these two approaches is fuzzier and very contextual. Transformative research was much more present with a dedicated track. There is still much definitional heavy lifting, but I saw appreciation for the diverse practices and (ethical) struggles of individual researchers and questions about the institutional support for engaged/action/transdisciplinary modes of research. - The impact agenda is in full swing, and most people are grappling with the consequences of it. The mismatch between the collective nature of impact and the individualised rewards and recognition system was very apparent. Most transdisciplinary collaborations require varied contributions, with researchers assuming multiple roles. I wish there were more space in the conference to connect with debates about co-production, which have already gone a lot further in unpacking what happens in these processes. How do we acknowledge varied contributions, serendipitous processes and the (slow) emergent and open-ended nature of 'impact' in the rapid pace of current academia? I wish we could all read, discuss and implement the likes of "The Slow Professor" https://lnkd.in/ePWUe7XT - Finally, I am glad to see Utrecht University and other Dutch universities trying their best to redress some of these significant structural barriers to more engaged scholarship. Every month that passes, it feels like we are taking steps in the right direction. It is great when many of your colleagues and bosses discuss science policy and the need for more humane and transformative academia. Next stop: IST in Oslo.

CoSPIRIT launched: towards a new generation of science advisors 📝 How can scientists effectively apply their knowledge in politics and policy?The new CoSPIRIT project of Tilburg University offers a solution with the Stevin Fellowship. This unique program allows young academics to gain first-hand experience on how scientific insights are used by politicians and civil servants. 🤝 The first fellow, Alena van Geen, has just started at the House of Representatives’ Research and Analysis Department (DAO). Her participation in the fellowship brings science and politics closer together, contributing to stronger collaboration between the two worlds. 💡 Over the next five years, CoSPIRIT will guide at least two fellows annually within the Dutch knowledge and advisory landscape, with the goal of continuing to bridge this important gap. CoSPIRIT is the result of The Stevin prize that was awarded to Prof. Corien Prins for her contribution to both law and (information) technology, and policy development. Read more about this project: https://lnkd.in/euXGC6gW #science #politics

#UFLaw Professor Wentong Zheng has been named a 2024 UF Research Foundation Professor -- a three-year award that recognizes faculty with a distinguished record of research. Zheng's research focuses on legal and economic issues confronting businesses and regulatory agencies in a globalized world. Learn more about his scholarship: https://lnkd.in/epJuyxUx See the full list of UF Research Foundation Professors here: https://lnkd.in/eFNFhtky

It was so valuable and worthy to attend this meeting! I learned a lot! Thank y'all! Here are some of the tips that given by the speakers: 1. Before attending career fairs, it's better to do some research about your targeted companies so that you can focus more on express yourself to HR from your targeted companies. 2. Write a summary paragraph in your CV to highlight some bullet points 3. Use Grammarly to check if there are grammar faults 4. When you get questions about your CV and interview, you can ask Career Centre for help 5. In group interviews, HR are more likely to focus on candidates who are willing to help others. 6. Be confident in each part of job applictions 7. When facing questions that are difficult to answer, you can show the willingness to learn, say, by asking interviewers more questions to build a framework #internationalstudents #internationalstudent #internationalstudentrecruitment #jobhunt #jobapplication

Read ACE's June blog today at the link below!