Day Two - The Interface Between Policy & Research
Thursday 4th November, 2010

8:30
WeLCOME, coffee & networking
9:00
CHAIR’S OPENING REMARKS & RECAP OF DAY ONE
Amanda Lawrence
Managing Editor
Australian Policy Online
LEARNING FROM INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
9:15
Drawing on international experience to build stronger
partnerships

  • Changing the culture to ensure better working
    relationships
  • Learning from international experience (the US and UK)
    – what we can apply to the Australian context to build
    stronger partnerships
  • How the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is
    working to strengthen its relationships with academic and
    research institutions (such as the Lowy Institute)
David Engel, Assistant Secretary, Policy Planning Branch
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
9:45
Breaking down the barriers – the role of Think Tanks in
bridging the policy/research divide

  • Why better linkages between policy and research are crucial to ensuring Australia remains relevant and competitive
  • The increasingly important role Think Tanks will play in identifying and tapping into expertise from across sectors, translating research into innovative policy ideas and building support for them in the wider community
  • The work of the Lowy Institute
Andrew Shearer, Director of Studies
The Lowy Institute
10:30
Morning Tea & COFFEE
11:00
SPOTLIGHT SESSION
Australian Policy Online - making the most of open
access policy research

  • How to make the most of APO’s catalogue and tools
  • Using the APO network
  • New directions for policy research collections
Amanda Lawrence, Managing Editor
Australian Policy Online
11:25
Making it work – advice on what’s required to work
more effectively together

  • Challenges to the effective translation of research into
    policy and how they can be overcome
  • Examples of current best practice in the Australian context
  • Lessons from the UK experience
Emeritus Professor Meredith Edwards
University of Canberra
12:10
A strategic approach to managing the policy / research
relationship

  • Frameworks to guide research that evaluates and informs
    policy
  • Developing a culture of quality research and innovation
  • Building partnerships and crossing the boundaries
    between research, policy and practice
Dr. Elizabeth Hartnell-Young, Group Manager, Research
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development,
VIC
PRACTICAL ADVICE ON MANAGING THE INTERFACE
AND BUILDING STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS
12:55
NETWORKING LUNCH
1:55
Managing challenges in policy / research partnerships

  • Developing evidence-based policies – ADHC’s approach to
    gathering and translating evidence
  • How ADHC manages its outsourced research function
  • What to do when problems arise
Alix Goodwin, Executive Director Strategic Policy and
Planning Directorate
Ageing Disability and Homecare
2:40
Building understanding – the ABS’ proactive approach to
bridging the gap between policy & research

  • Common challenges in the translation of statistical data
    into policy
  • What the ABS is doing to bridge the gap – education
    initiatives and establishing the Statistical Literacy Program
  • Lessons for other research organisations
Linda Bencic, National Statistical Literacy Program
Australian Bureau of Statistics
3:15
AFTERNOON TEA & COFFEE
3:45
The development of better policy advice and
commissioned research & evaluation

  • The purpose and role of the Policy Innovation, Research
    and Evaluation unit
  • Commissioning research and developing effective working
    relationships
  • Experiences and advice for policy practitioners and
    researchers
Anita Davis, Head of Policy Innovation, Research and
Evaluation Unit
Department of Immigration and Citizenship
4:30
CHAIR’S CLOSING REMARKS & CLOSE OF
CONFERENCE