Anyone working in the technology transfer and knowledge exchange sector will have noticed that reviews and consultations crop up with relative frequency.
At PraxisUnico, we work to advocate the views of our members, to make sure they are represented on issues which affect them. But how do we come up with these responses?
The first point of contact is often our Policy Officer, Tamsin Mann. Tamsin works to keep abreast of the latest developments and ensure we are well-placed and well-informed to respond. Tamsin will often be the first to hear about consultations through her contacts, or either she or another member of PraxisUnico will be contacted directly by e.g. BIS, HEFCE or another review body for our input.
We also rely on our expert practitioners sharing information to keep us up to date, as a vital source of intelligence. Tamsin works very closely with our Advocacy committee, which is made up of highly experienced practitioners from across a range of universities and PSREs. Each member of the Advocacy committee gives up their time to contribute their views and provide direction, to ensure that a balanced and rigorous agenda is pursued on behalf of our membership. When calls such as the Dowling Review comes in, a lead contact on the Committee is appointed, to work with Tamsin in shaping the response.
In the case of the Dowling Review, that person was David Hartley, Commercial & Knowledge Transfer Manager of Oxford Brookes University. David has worked at a senior level in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, including oversight of publicly funded schemes for business support, and now manages Oxford Brookes’ commercialisation and knowledge transfer projects across a wide range of technical and professional sectors.
Tamsin's knowledge of the policy landscape and David's experience of technology and knowledge transfer shape an initial response, which is then circulated to the rest of the Advocacy Committee. The Committee's comments and critiques are then incorporated into further revised versions, until a fully considered and representative response is achieved.< The response is then submitted to the Review Panel, and circulated to members for their information.
All PraxisUnico consultations are stored on our website for reference, as are full lists of all Committee Members. If you'd like to get involved with PraxisUnico and shape the Advocacy agenda, please get in touch by emailing tamsin.mann@praxisunico.org.uk.