Short Abstract

This presentation explores the role of a collaborative PhD partnership in bridging the gap between academia, policy, and practice to deliver innovative, impactful skills research, influence policy, and develop a new generation of researchers in Scotland.

Description

This presentation will describe how Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and the Scottish Graduate School of Social Science (SGSSS) have formed a collaborative PhD research partnership spanning 13 years. The main aim of this partnership is to connect PhD students, universities, practitioners, policymakers, and stakeholders, so that academic research can more directly inform policy and practical action in Scotland’s skills landscape.

The partnership is designed to close the gap between academic theory and real-world policy by encouraging innovative, impactful research on skills issues. It serves as a useful example of how to achieve research impact, involve stakeholders in research , and share knowledge in practice.

A key feature of this partnership is that collaboration and impact are built in from the start. The programme doesn’t just look at the quality and relevance of research produced on skills policy—it also examines how well and in what ways those research findings are shared. The partnership uses a range of events and outputs to make sure research outcomes reach both policymakers and practitioners.

We will share lessons on some of the challenges of our approach. These challenges include involving multiple stakeholders on a continual basis over the lengthy period of a PhD and making sure that complex research produced by PhD students is turned into clear, practical insights for people outside academia. The programme tackles these issues by using a variety of communication methods, such as student-led seminars and events, to make sure knowledge is shared widely and effectively.

The partnership also pays close attention to diversity, equality, and inclusion. It brings together a wide range of people—students, academics, practitioners, and stakeholders—ensuring that many voices and experiences are included in the research process and in the evaluation of the programme itself.

The presentation will highlight several practical results from the partnership. These include evidence that the research has influenced policy and practice in Scotland, increased the employment prospects of PhD students by giving them real-world policy experience, and developed a model for collaborative research partnerships.

Another major strength of the partnership is the transfer of innovative research methods from academia into practice. These include advanced approaches such as utilising AI in the research process, innovative methods like photo-elicitation, and working directly with young people to co-produce research. These methods have brought fresh perspectives and real innovation to benefit everyday professional practice in SDS and in skills policy research more broadly.

The presentation will highlight that by promoting knowledge exchange and supporting student development, the collaboration has become a model of good practice, showing how partnerships between academia and the public sector can lead to meaningful, impactful research that shapes policy and practice. Finally we will highlight recent developments in the programme that demonstrate our commitment to continuous improvement, for example through our use of AI and innovative research methods.