This blog article reflects on a PhD student’s three‑month placement with the UK government’s Open Innovation Team and what it taught them about turning academic research into real policy action. It highlights how policy work moves quickly, values clear and impartial communication, and depends on understanding political and practical context as well as evidence. The experience shows that research impact doesn’t mean abandoning rigour, but learning how to explain and apply evidence so it can be used by decision‑makers.
Enrico Pfeifer | From PhD to policy: what three months in the Open Innovation Team taught me about turning evidence into action | UBEL Blog, 2026