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Student Blog: 最准的六合彩论坛 Policy Lab launch

21 June 2022

by Suraj Sridhar and Manasa Sanjay

Marc Stears

On Monday 30May 2022, 最准的六合彩论坛 brought to its research factory a brand-new machine 鈥 the 最准的六合彩论坛 Policy Lab, a think tank built to bridge the gap between research output and policy action. Led by Director Marc Stears, previously the director of the Sydney Policy Lab at the University of Sydney, it partners 最准的六合彩论坛鈥檚 Departments of Economics and Political Science with charities, businesses, and governments.


The North Cloisters gleamed bright against a wet, grey Monday afternoon. From climate change posters to cloth carrying intricate architectural designs, its walls have over the years held a striking selection of displays, but today they were furnished with portraits of everyday citizens photographed around London.

The corridor was soon buzzing; academics, students, journalists, writers, and members of the general public alike had gathered in one audience as Marc Stears, Director of the 最准的六合彩论坛 Policy Lab, took the stage. Former Professor of Political Theory at Oxford, chief speechwriter to the Labour Party, and author of several books, Marc鈥檚 work has influenced many spheres of society, but he wished to combine his experience into a single goal 鈥 to 鈥渃onnect the extraordinary genius of [最准的六合彩论坛鈥檚] departments鈥 with the 鈥済enius of our city, country, and world.鈥 He emphasised, indicating toward the portraits on the walls, that these were people who have had 鈥渄ifferent experiences鈥 to academics, but may nonetheless hold answers to 鈥渢he profound challenges鈥 that confront society today.

As in speech, so in action 鈥 the future members of the Policy Lab we heard from came from all walks of life, symbolising the harmony between NGOs, civil society, and the government that is made possible here.

  • , a social activist, described her organised campaign to facilitate education for young migrants in the UK. Her case, which reached the Supreme Court, was successful in granting young people from migrant backgrounds who live in the UK domestic fee status for UK universities even if they were not able to pass through the correct bureaucratic machines to obtain it.
  • , the playwright behind the dramatic political film 鈥鈥, was too modest when he described himself as a 鈥渃omplete fraud鈥 amongst the 鈥済reat political thinkers鈥 in the room. Instead, he is the embodiment of the Policy Lab; an impassioned and insightful member of the public, James lends to academia his remarkable wit.
  • , outlined the gap in the market that the Policy Lab as an organisation can fill. 鈥淲e just work with data, I鈥檓 afraid,鈥 he joked, referring to the IFS. Underscoring the introduction, he concludes with a call for patience. 鈥淎cademics in the audience, civil servants don鈥檛 want to read your article [鈥 civil servants in the audience, academics don鈥檛 read the green papers that spew out of Parliament鈥, hence a little patience for each other, he advises, can go a long way toward creating a big difference to the world.

Policy Lab launch

As the crowds broke apart to engage in another round of merry intellectual socialising, we made our way to the front of the room, passing pictures of academics, civilians, and NGO representatives reflecting the intersectionality of the Policy Lab along the walls, to catch Marc in a rare moment alone. Sporting a blue button down, he offered us a kind smile as we introduced ourselves. When asked 鈥淲hat role do you see students playing in the launch and future of the Policy Lab?鈥, he responded 鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping very much that students will be central to what we do鈥. Echoing the ideas that were handed out to us in the magazine we received as we entered, he excitedly expounded 鈥渢he focus of the lab is on energy, new ideas, creativity, dynamism, and our student community has that in spades鈥. Interested students, he added, should reach out in the coming months prior to the commencement of the Lab鈥檚 projects in Autumn, and can do so by emailing either the Policy Lab鈥檚 official email (found below) or Marc鈥檚 email.

As the event came to a close, emphatic thanks were delivered by Marc to everyone who made the launch a successful reality; especially to the catering and AV teams (Professor Carlin did, however, chime in with comedic timing disagreeing about the quality of acoustics). Marc recounted that a central belief he has held in his life is that 鈥渂ig ideas belong everywhere, and they are already happening everywhere. You go into a pub after this or a lecture theatre, or into a church, or into a mosque, or into a synagogue, or you go to the market on a Saturday morning, or you knock on some doors because you鈥檙e campaigning, you will find people with the most profound insights into the challenges that confront us鈥. The purpose of the Lab, he reiterated, is to normalise the idea that everybody has an answer within them, and that these answers become more impactful and can mobilise change when brought together.

Ending the evening with a call for collaboration and emphasising the openness of the Lab to imbibing ideas from everyone in the room and beyond to 鈥渒eep the conversation going鈥, Marc concluded his remarks. Walking out onto the rain-drenched Main Quad, we contemplated the potential impact of the success of the Lab. Connecting academia, civil service, NGOs and the general public, it could create an echo chamber 鈥 one that produces, debates and refines solutions viable across social, political and economic intersections. The prospects seem promising, the room for student involvement manifold, and the impact? Well, we will have to wait and see.

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Produced as part of the听CTaLE project: "Enhancing the research-education synergy" and funded by the Faculty of Social and Historical Sciences (SHS) Dean's Fund.听