University of Surrey partners with UK civil servants on real-world policy challenges
Academics from the University of Surrey are once again contributing their expertise to government policy through the Open Innovation Team’s Policy Fellowship Programme – now expanded with a record number of fellows for 2025.
Run by the cross-government Open Innovation Team (OIT), the Policy Fellowship offers part-time mentoring support from academic experts to help civil servants answer a specific policy question over the course of six months. Fellows are matched with mentors from the OIT’s five partner universities: Brunel University London, the University of Essex, Lancaster University, the University of Surrey and the University of York.
Dr. Raffaella Guida, Reader in Satellite Remote Sensing at Surrey Space Centre at the University of Surrey, is supporting a fellow from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on evaluating the use of space technology for climate monitoring and supporting net zero initiatives.
The OIT was established in 2016 to bring external expertise into policymaking, helping officials across departments engage with leading thinkers, generate ideas and evaluate impact.
“It’s a pleasure to welcome new fellows to the University of Surrey,” said Lucy Hendon, Policy Engagement Officer. “This programme puts academic research at the heart of policymaking and facilitates mutual knowledge exchange, whilst giving our experts the chance to inform real-world decisions.”
This year’s cohort includes civil servants from departments such as the Ministry of Justice, the Department for Education and the Office for National Statistics, working on everything from the ethics of generative AI to restorative justice.
Surrey students and early career researchers may also have the opportunity to engage with the fellows and gain insight into how research can shape public policy.
For more information about the Open Innovation Team and its Policy Fellowship Programme, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/open-innovation-team
To learn more about the research expertise at Surrey and opportunities for policy collaboration contact Surrey Policy Network at policyengagement@surrey.ac.uk