Guidance

Directory of exchange schemes from policy to academia

Updated 19 February 2026

Directory of academic and policy exchange schemes – policy to academia

This directory lists the current exchange schemes from policy to academia as of 16 April 2025. The information is presented by type of exchange and alphabetically by scheme name.

An asterisk (*) after the scheme name indicates that it offers exchanges for both academics and policy professionals. (Click here for the directory listing exchanges from academia to policy.)

Each scheme has been categorised into the following 3 groups: 

1) secondment/fellowship
2) capacity building
3) internship/placement

The definitions that have been used for each of these categories are as follows:

• Secondments/fellowships: refers to a temporary assignment where an individual is placed on new or existing projects within another organisation to gain experience, share expertise, and foster collaboration offering mutual benefit to the secondee/fellow and the host organisation’s aims. This category includes all types of fellowships, secondments, and embedded expert roles.

• Capacity building: encompasses activities aimed at enhancing the abilities, skills, networks and resources of individuals or organisations. This includes training programmes, mentorship pairing, and relationship-building initiatives.

• Internships/placements: refers to structured programmes designed for students or recent graduates to gain practical experience in a professional setting. Internships and placements are typically short-term.

The data has been obtained from respective departments, institutions or organisations and the comments have been obtained through conversations, webpages or other forms of documentations from each source. The schemes listed in this document vary in duration and commitment some are full-time, while others are part-time. Please refer to the specific details of each scheme for more information. If you own or know of an existing scheme that is not mentioned here, would like to provide information for missing data, or provide amendments to the data below, please email academicengagement@go-science.gov.uk and provide the details for the scheme in order for us to update the dataset.

Secondments/fellowships

Name: Durham Policy Fellowship Programme*  
Scheme Owner: Durham University
Duration: 6 to 12 months
Career stage: Any stage
Type of exchange: Secondment/fellowship and capacity building    
About the scheme: Supported by Durham’s Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Impact Accelerator programme, Durham University offers policy fellowships that enable staff to deliver projects with policy partners, addressing specific policy interests and evidence needs. These fellowships typically last 6–12 months and are usually fully funded, with no cost to the host organisation. The University also hosts incoming Policy Fellowships, allowing policy professionals to engage with researchers, build academic networks, and participate in roundtable discussions. This is primarily facilitated through Durham’s associate membership with the Cambridge Centre for Science and Policy Fellowship Programme, with bespoke arrangements available for direct partner organisations.
Further information: support for policy makers.

Name: Expert Exchange Programme (EEP)*  
Scheme Owner: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)  
Duration: Up to 9 months  
Career stage: Mid-senior career  
Type of exchange: Secondment/fellowship  
About the scheme: The Expert Exchange Programme supports with bringing in external experts into DSIT and support internal staff spend time outside the department. Their goal is to make it easy, encouraging and effective for DSIT teams to work with academia, industry and other partners to bring in or cultivate expertise or knowledge that is not currently available within the department. Benefits of the programme are:
 
1. Capability development – the opportunity to acquire specific technical and specialist skills; 
2. Exposure to new thinking and the scope to experience first-hand innovation in a different sector that could transform future delivery in the Civil Service; 
3. Professional growth through the expansion of networks and communities of practice beyond the Civil Service;
4. Valuable career development via the opportunity to lead and manage in a different operating environment.  
Further information: new Expert Exchange.

Name: MetroPolis Chancellor’s Visiting Fellowships
Scheme Owner: Manchester Metropolitan University 
Duration: 20 - 30 days (taken as a block or spread over several months)  
Career stage: Mid-senior career
Type of exchange: Secondment/fellowship and capacity building    
About the scheme: 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.
Further information: fellowship scheme.

Name: Policy Professionals Fellowship  
Scheme owner: University College London (UCL) 
Duration: 9-12 months  
Career stage: Any stage   
Type of exchange: Secondment/fellowship  
About the scheme: UCL Public Policy offers policy professionals an immersive opportunity to embed themselves within a research department, centre or institute. This fellowship entails working on specific projects, contributing to activities such as workshops, seminars, report production, or framework development.  
Further information: policy research fellowships.

Name: STEM Futures*  
Scheme owner: Government Science & Engineering Profession  
Duration: Varies (weeks to years)  
Career stage: Any stage  
Type of exchange: Secondment/fellowship; capacity building; internships/placements  
About the scheme: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Futures is a partnership of organisations across industry, academia, and the public sector. It provides interchange opportunities such as shadowing, placements and mentoring, both inside and outside of government. Want to get involved? Learn more here or visit the STEM Futures website. To find out if your university or organisation is already a STEM Futures partner or to learn more about your university joining STEM Futures, please contact STEMFutures@go-science.gov.uk.
Further information: STEM programme.  

Capacity building

Name: ACCESS Autumn School*  
Scheme Owner: Advancing Capacity for Climate and Environment Social Science (ACCESS)  
Duration: 3 days
Career stage: Early-mid career   
Type of exchange: Capacity building  
About the scheme: The ACCESS schools provide relaxed and friendly environments for PhD students and early career researchers in academia, industry or third sector organisations to:
1) meet and discuss their research with experts in the field and their peers, working together on issues of environment and climate change,
2) receive interactive training in communicating climate and environmental social science for impact beyond their current sector (e.g. with policymakers, media, and public),
3) gain insights into career paths for early career environmental social scientists.  
Further information: ACCESS Autumn School.

Name: CECAN Fellowship Scheme  
Scheme Owner: Centre for the Evaluation of Complexity Across the Nexus (CECAN)
Duration: 4 - 5 months
Career stage: Senior
Type of exchange: Capacity building    
About the scheme: The CECAN Fellowship Scheme offers an opportunity for individuals to enhance their expertise in complex policy evaluation. It provides one-to-one virtual mentoring meetings with experts from the CECAN network, tailored to the Fellow’s specific evaluation challenges. The scheme is free of charge and applications are welcome from those engaged in or advising on policy evaluation in complex, especially nexus, domains.
Further information: CECAN Fellowship Scheme.  

Name: Centre for Science and Policy Fellowships (CSaP)   
Scheme owner: University of Cambridge  
Duration: 2 years  
Career stage: Senior  
Type of exchange: Capacity building  
About the scheme: The CSaP Policy Fellowship is a flexible professional development programme. In the first year, Policy Fellows spend up to 5 days across 2 visits to Cambridge undertaking a tailored programme of 1:1 meetings with academic experts across a range of disciplines relevant to the Fellow’s responsibilities and identified interests. Over 2 years, CSaP Policy Fellows continue to benefit from support and involvement with the network’s activities.  
Further information: policy fellowships.

Name: Durham Policy Fellowship Programme*  
Scheme Owner: Durham University
Duration: 6 to 12 months
Career stage: Any stage
Type of exchange: Secondment/fellowship and capacity building    
About the scheme: Supported by Durham’s ESRC Impact Accelerator programme, Durham University offers policy fellowships that enable staff to deliver projects with policy partners, addressing specific policy interests and evidence needs. These fellowships typically last 6–12 months and are usually fully funded, with no cost to the host organisation. The University also hosts incoming Policy Fellowships, allowing policy professionals to engage with researchers, build academic networks, and participate in roundtable discussions. This is primarily facilitated through Durham’s associate membership with the Cambridge Centre for Science and Policy Fellowship Programme, with bespoke arrangements available for direct partner organisations.
Further information: support for policymakers.

Name: Foundation Future Leaders Programme*  
Scheme owner: Foundation for Science & Technology   
Duration: 1 year   
Career stage: Mid-career  
Type of exchange: Capacity building  
About the scheme: The Foundation Future Leaders Programme seeks to support the leaders of tomorrow in building the links and knowledge that they will need. The programme brings together a cohort of around 30 mid-career professionals over the course of a year, with approximately 10 representatives each from the research community, industry, and the Civil Service and wider public sector. Over a 12-month period, the group meet and discuss with senior figures from government, parliament, universities, large industry, SMEs, research charities and others. Just as importantly, Future Leaders present their own expertise, develop skills and make future contacts. The programme includes external visits and the development of an annual conference for a wider group of mid-career future leaders in science, technology, research and innovation.  
Further information: Future Leaders.

Name: Greater Manchester Policy Fellowship Scheme  
Scheme owner: The University of Manchester   
Duration: 12 months   
Career stage: Mid-senior career 
Type of exchange: Capacity building   
About the scheme: The Greater Manchester Policy Fellowship Scheme creates new networks and strengthens existing relationships between researchers and policymakers. The programme is also designed to augment the personal and career development of all participants.  
Further information: Greater Manchester Policy Fellowship Scheme.

Name: AI Fundamentals
Scheme owner: Imperial College London  
Duration: 8 weeks  
Career stage: Early-mid career  
Type of exchange: Capacity building  
About the scheme: The AI Fundamentals programme is an 8-week course designed for civil servants of all grades who work on AI regulation, strategy, or systems. As AI tools and technologies advance, governments face both significant policy challenges and new opportunities. Civil servants must balance the complexities of regulating AI’s societal impact with the need to harness its transformative potential to improve public services. The programme consists of one half-day class per week.   
Further information: Imperial AI Fundamentals Programme.

Name: Imperial AI Policy Fellowships
Scheme owner: Imperial College London  
Duration: 9 months  
Career stage: Senior   
Type of exchange: Capacity building   
About the scheme: The Imperial AI (Artificial Intelligence) Policy Fellowship offers a bespoke 9-month development programme that equips senior civil and public servants with the knowledge and skills to understand the role and impact of AI across the public sector. Hosted by the Imperial Policy Forum, the fellowship combines tailored learning with practical application, enabling Fellows to address major policy challenges and develop insights through their own research. The Fellowship also includes 4 in-person training days at Imperial College London.  
Further information: Imperial AI Policy Fellowship Programme.

Name: Imperial Quantum Fundamentals
Scheme owner: Imperial College London
Duration: 8 weeks
Career stage: Early-mid career
Type of exchange: Capacity building
About the scheme: The Quantum Fundamentals programme is an 8-week course designed for policymakers to build a clear understanding of quantum science, the main types of quantum technologies, and the challenges involved in their development and deployment. Anchored in the UK’s National Quantum Strategy and Quantum Missions, the programme examines applications for public services, ethical and societal implications, and the strategic importance of quantum technologies for the economy, national security, and wider society. Each week, participants will join a half-day session combining a lecture from Imperial academics with an interactive workshop, Q&A, or lab visit, offering both foundational knowledge and practical insight.
Further information: Imperial Quantum Fundamentals Programme.

Name: Institute for Policy Research (IPR) Policy Fellowship Programme  
Scheme owner: University of Bath  
Duration: 1-2 days (relationship lasts for 2 years)  
Career stage: Senior   
Type of exchange: Capacity building   
About the scheme: Designed for senior policymakers and decision-makers from government and the third sector, the IPR Policy Fellowship Programme offers the opportunity to explore policy questions or challenges through a bespoke programme of tailored meetings with leading academics based at the University of Bath. This is classed as a 2-way knowledge exchange and although the duration is 1-2 days, the relationship lasts for 2 years.   
Further information: IPR Policy Fellowship Programme.

Name: MetroPolis Chancellor’s Visiting Fellowships
Scheme Owner: Manchester Metropolitan University  
Duration: 20 - 30 days (taken as a block or spread over several months)  
Career stage: Mid-senior career  
Type of exchange: Secondment/fellowship and capacity building    
About the scheme: 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.
Further information: MetroPolis Chancellor’s Visiting Fellowships.

Name: OPEN Peer Mentoring Scheme*  
Scheme owner: University of Oxford  
Duration: 6 months  
Career stage: Any stage
Type of exchange: Capacity building  
About the scheme: The Oxford Policy Engagement Network (OPEN) Peer Mentoring Scheme invites applications from research staff at the University of Oxford and policy professions employed by policy organisations. Taking turns as mentor and mentee, participants provide each other with a sounding board, act as confidant(e), motivator, and a source of challenge and feedback, and clarify the culture, politics, and values of their respective environments. In each cohort, the scheme matches 25 researchers at Oxford and 25 policy professionals at a similar career stage for 6 months, enabling them:
1) to deepen their understanding of how research can inform policymaking and develop the relevant skills to catalyse that process
2) to broaden and deepen their academic and policy networks
3) to strengthen leadership for academic-policy engagement.
The scheme runs once a year with an application window from September to October. Contact the University of Oxford Policy Engagement Team researchandpublicpolicy@admin.ox.ac.uk with any queries.   
Further information: OPEN Peer Mentoring Scheme.

Name: OPEN Seed Fund*    
Scheme owner: University of Oxford   
Duration: 6 months   
Career stage: Any stage   
Type of exchange: Capacity building   
About the scheme: The OPEN Seed Fund makes awards of up to £5,000 to enable researchers at the University of Oxford and public policy professionals anywhere in the world to kick-start or deepen collaboration, working together to design, deliver and evaluate projects that: enable them to share evidence and support its use in policymaking; improve their understanding of how research can inform policymaking, and develop the skills to catalyse that process; and broaden and deepen their networks. The scheme runs twice a year with application windows from September to November and December to February. Contact the University of Oxford Policy Engagement Team researchandpublicpolicy@admin.ox.ac.uk with any queries.    
Further information: OPEN Seed Fund.  

Name: OPEN Visiting Fellowships
Scheme owner: University of Oxford
Duration: 7 months
Career stage: Mid-senior career
Type of exchange: Capacity building
About the scheme: The OPEN Visiting Fellowship is a mutual learning and development opportunity for research and policy professionals. As Visiting Fellows, policy professionals have the opportunity to explore policy questions and challenges with research professionals in their host department and with others across the university; to co-convene workshops of interest to them, their colleagues and their host department, contributing to longer-term, institutional relationships; and to advise research professionals in their host department on approaches to policy engagement.
The scheme runs once a year with application windows from September to October. Contact the University of Oxford Policy Engagement Team at researchandpublicpolicy@admin.ox.ac.uk with any queries.
Further information: OPEN Visiting Fellowships.

Name: Policy Fellowship  
Scheme owner: Open Innovation Team (OIT)  
Duration: 6 months  
Career stage: Early-mid career   
Type of exchange: Capacity building  
About the scheme: The Policy Fellowship programme is a part-time academic mentoring scheme for civil servants at grades SEO-G6. Policy Fellowships support officials by providing help and expert insight to answer a specific policy question. Over the course of 6 months, civil servants work under the supervision of an academic mentor in a relevant field to research and produce an output based on their policy area.  
Further information: Open Innovation Team.

Name: Policy Fellowships  
Scheme owner: The Royal Academy of Engineering   
Duration: 4-6 months   
Career stage: Senior   
Type of exchange: Capacity building   
About the scheme: The Policy Fellowships programme inspires policymakers to think differently and to use engineering and systems thinking to frame complex and wicked problems, and design resilient solutions. The programme has grown a unique network of policymakers, engineers and other experts who are working together to develop fresh insights and approaches to economic, social and technical problems. Twice a year, the Academy selects exceptional UK-based policymakers to become Policy Fellows and embark on an intensive programme.  
Further information: The Royal Academy of Engineering Policy Fellowships.

Name: STEM Futures*  
Scheme owner: Government Science & Engineering Profession  
Duration: Varies (weeks to years)  
Career stage: Any stage  
Type of exchange: Secondment/fellowship; capacity building; internships/placements  
About the scheme: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Futures is a partnership of organisations across industry, academia, and the public sector. It provides interchange opportunities such as shadowing, placements and mentoring, both inside and outside of government. Want to get involved? Learn more here or visit the STEM Futures website. To find out if your university or organisation is already a STEM Futures partner or to learn more about your university joining STEM Futures, please contact STEMFutures@go-science.gov.uk.
Further information: STEM programme.  

Name: The Brokerage  
Scheme owner: Scottish Policy & Research Exchange  
Duration: Varies  
Career stage: Any stage  
Type of exchange: Capacity building  
About the scheme: The Brokerage is a network of researchers, knowledge mobilisers, and policy professionals who have an interest in improving how evidence and expertise shapes policy. They share formal and informal opportunities for research-policy engagement, and create spaces for relationship-building and shared learning. It is open to anyone working in higher education and research in Scotland.  
Further information: The Brokerage.

Name: The Royal Society Pairing Scheme*  
Scheme Owner: The Royal Society, in collaboration with the Government Science and Engineering (GSE) Profession
Duration: 1 week in Westminster (with an optional reciprocal visit to the scientist’s institution)
Career stage: Wide ranging
Type of exchange: Capacity building    
About the scheme: This scheme gives policymakers and research scientists an opportunity to experience each other’s worlds, by building bridges between parliamentarians, civil servants and some of the best research scientists in the UK. Each year 30 scientists are paired with UK policymakers to spend a Week in Westminster, hearing from invited speakers, taking part in events and workshops, and spending time shadowing. The MP, peer or civil servant is also invited to a reciprocal visit at the scientist’s institution to learn more about their work in person. The scheme is aimed at a wide range of career stages, and civil servants are matched to scientists based on their expertise, interest and career stage, and applications usually open in September.
Further information: The Royal Society Pairing Scheme.   

Name: Visiting Fellowship  
Scheme owner: University College London  
Duration: 6 months  
Career stage: Any stage  
Type of exchange: Capacity building  
About the scheme: UCL Public Policy provides coordination and support for policy professionals to spend time at UCL, participating in a range of activities from individual and group meetings with researchers, to joining in course modules and seminars or visiting labs and watching experiments in action. Discussions are driven by policy questions, defined in advance, matched to key research themes, expertise, and ongoing projects across the breadth of UCL.  
Further information: Visiting Fellowship.

Internships/placements

Name: ACCESS Placement Schemes   
Scheme owner: Advancing Capacity for Climate and Environment Social Science (ACCESS)  
Duration: 3 months   
Career stage: Any stage   
Type of exchange: Internship/placement   
About the scheme: ACCESS offers placement schemes hosted by credible organisations which provide an opportunity for academic social scientists to improve their interdisciplinary research skills and gain experience of applying social science insights in practice. Placement schemes can offer important development and networking experiences, especially in helping researchers understand more about policy development and delivery.  
Further information: ACCESS Placement Schemes.

Name: Medical Research Council (MRC) – Academy of Medical Sciences Policy Internship  
Scheme owner: UKRI  
Duration: 3 months  
Career stage: Pre-career (PhD students)  
Type of exchange: Internship/placement  
About the scheme: MRC has partnered with the Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) for more than a decade to offer this policy internship scheme to MRC students. The scheme is designed to give students first-hand experience of the medical science policy environment, enable them to gain insights into how research can impact policy and provide an opportunity to help build valuable networks with the UK’s most eminent medical scientists and key science and health stakeholders.  
Further information: MRC Academy of Medical Sciences Policy.

Name: STEM Futures*  
Scheme owner: Government Science & Engineering Profession  
Duration: Varies (weeks to years)  
Career stage: Any stage  
Type of exchange: Secondment/fellowship; capacity building; internships/placements  
About the scheme: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Futures is a partnership of organisations across industry, academia, and the public sector. It provides interchange opportunities such as shadowing, placements and mentoring, both inside and outside of government. Want to get involved? Learn more here or visit the STEM Futures website. To find out if your university or organisation is already a STEM Futures partner or to learn more about your university joining STEM Futures, please contact STEMFutures@go-science.gov.uk.
Further information: STEM programme.