The Complexity Science for the Real World Network

The Complexity Science for the Real World Network will synthesise the knowledge gained from the four existing EPSRC projects (ENFOLD-ing, ERIE, SCID and The Care life Cycle) that have been funded under the Complexity Science for the Real World theme and disseminate it to those involved in the creation of public policy, as well as to the wider public. It will also provide channels for knowledge exchange between these audiences and the four projects.

A second objective of the Network is to enhance the communication between the four projects, providing a forum for the discussion of common tools, techniques and issues. The Network will also offer workshops and other help to the 20 doctoral students associated with the projects.

All the four Complexity Science for the Real World projects are committed to generating a greater understanding of 'real world' policy issues. The Network will help the projects disseminate their work to potential users and beneficiaries. Outside academia, those impacted will be:

1. Those concerned with the development and evaluation of policy (e.g. regional development, social care, globalisation, and immigration, to name just some of the main topics that are the focus of the four projects). These users may include:

- policy staff in central government
- researchers in policy institutes
- researchers and policy advisers in charities, pressure groups and NGOs
- the media.

2. The wider public, either directly or through one of the intermediaries listed under (1). In so far as policy changes will have effects in the market, there may also be impacts on business (e.g. if policy changes affect providers of social care).

As explained in the section on Pathways to Impact, the direct impact of the Network will be to magnify the impacts achievable by the individual projects. It is to be expected that these direct impacts will be achieved within the life of the Network project.