ESRC Policy Fellowship: Sustainable Futures
Lead Research Organisation:
University of the West of England
Department Name: Faculty of Environment and Technology
Abstract
Each fellowship will last up to 18 months to cover a three-month inception phase for set up activity, followed by a 6-12-month placement with the host organisation, and concluding with an impact phase lasting up to three months. Fellows will co-design projects and activities with their host and produce analysis to inform government decision-making across a range of policy priorities. Fellows will also engage across the host organisation, building effective working relationships and supporting wider knowledge exchange with researchers. This will be supported through their embedded role within the host organisation, including line management support.
Publications
De Vito L
(2023)
Strategic Foresight and Policy Evaluation: Insights for an Integrated Approach
in European Journal of Risk Regulation
| Description | I have provided evidence and insights of different models of Strategic Foresight in governments to support long-term decision-making. This is seen as key to effective delivery of the Well-being of Future Generations Act and will support the Welsh Government in exploring opportunities for further development of Futures and Strategic Foresight. |
| Exploitation Route | The Sustainable Futures Division within the Welsh Government will be able to use my findings to shape and inform their strategy for the development of Futures and Foresight |
| Sectors | Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Description | This ongoing research project is providing the Welsh Government with evidence and insights on the application of futures and foresight for sustainable development and well-being. Policy pilots with Welsh Government teams have contributed to skills and capability development and sparked interest for further applications of these methods. Participation in international conferences and events as well as direct engagement with other European governments has increased the visibility of existing Welsh Government activities in this space and have paved the way for future collaboration. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2023 |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |
| Description | Envision - the Futures Network |
| Organisation | Government of Portugal |
| Country | Portugal |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Intellectual inputs on use of futures and foresight methodology |
| Collaborator Contribution | Intellectual inputs on use of futures and foresight methodology |
| Impact | N/A |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | OECD Annual Community Annual Meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | I presented the research project at the OECD Annual Foresight Community meeting. This sparked interest in the Welsh Approach and increased the visibility of the research project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Policy team workshops |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | A series of 6 workshops with 3 Welsh Government policy teams (2 sessions for each groups). The workshops were a learning-by-doing exercise where futures and foresight methodologies were directly applied to live policy projects to increase effectiveness of long-term decision making and to increase the application of the Welsh Government Future Trends Report. The workshops had both a capability & skills angle and a substantive angle through working on real and current policy projects. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |