A roundtable discussion with Professor Melissa Leach, Director of the Institute of Development Studies, brought together scholars from the University of Cambridge, the Mastercard Foundation and CSaP Policy Fellows to discuss the UK’s approach to international research collaboration, with a focus on promoting resilience and sustainability.

The Capabilities in Academic Policy Engagement (CAPE) project has been exploring ways to strengthen engagement between universities and public policy.

In response to the growth in demand for CSaP’s services, we are building capacity, connecting with universities across the UK, and innovating to support sustained engagement, insight and impact.

The Dr S T Lee Public Policy Lecture was delivered by Professor Alondra Nelson, the Harold F. Linder Professor of Social Science at the Institute for Advanced Study and a distinguished senior fellow at the Centre for American Progress.

Professor Heather Lovell, Professor of Energy and Society at the University of Tasmania, presented her current research programme at the first online seminar for CSaP Policy Fellows in the new academic year, as part of our series, ‘Public Policy and Practice: challenges and opportunities’.

In September 2023 the Cambridge Zero Policy forum met with Zoe Guijarro, Principal Policy Manager, Net Zero Homes, at Citizens Advice to discuss the transition to net zero homes, with a focus on the role of Citizens Advice.

During a recent Policy Leaders Fellowship visit day, Professor Nick Pearce called for governments to adopt a more strategic approach in the face of the multiple interlocking crises of climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, and the war in Ukraine.

Professor Sarah Sharples, Chief Scientific Adviser in the Department for Transport, discussed the reasons why the transport sector requires much attention.

In July 2023, Pippa Heylings, Liberal Democrat Candidate for South Cambridgeshire, and Sheryl French, Assistant Director, Climate Change and Energy Services, Cambridgeshire County Council, addressed the Cambridge Zero Policy Forum to discuss the role that Locally Determined Contributions can play in tackling climate change.

Richard Gleave, UK Health Security Agency, and Professor Sharon Peacock, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, discussed the wider implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting on the success of the UK’s COVID-19 Genomics Consortium (COG-UK) in pandemic response and, more broadly, on the evolving role of scientific advice in times of public crises.