Featured speakers included:

• Wendy Thomson CBE, Vice-Chancellor, University of London
• Jules Pipe CBE, Deputy Mayor, Planning, Regeneration and Skills
• Sir Geoff Mulgan, Professor of Collective Intelligence, Public Policy and Social Innovation at UCL and Former Director of the Government Strategy Unit
• Sarah Chaytor, Director of UCL Public Policy and Co-Chair of the Capabilities in Academic-Policy Engagement (CAPE)

London is a great city with great challenges – many of them exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, it is one of the world’s leading research and higher education capitals, with over 40 universities and thousands of university researchers. 

There are obvious benefits for both London policymakers and researchers in the two communities working together. It’s against this background that we are launching the London Research and Policy Partnership. The Partnership is being led by the Greater London Authority and University of London, with support from CAPE – a nationally funded, Research England, programme, aimed at promoting research and policy exchange.

We recognise that there have been and are many examples of London policymakers and researchers working together. But most relations have developed in an ad hoc way. The new London Research and Policy Partnership aims to take a more systematic approach, by supporting systematic and sustained engagement between university researchers and London government.

The event was an opportunity to learn more about and help shape the objectives, resources and working methods and how academics and policy makers can get involved.