The Northern Ireland Assembly’s Research and Information Service (RaISe) jointly delivers the annual Knowledge Exchange Seminar Series (KESS) with Queen’s University of Belfast, Ulster University, The Open University, St. Mary’s University College and Stranmillis University College.
This partnership is the first formal legislative academic partnership of its kind in the UK and is seen as a best practice example of knowledge exchange between a legislature (the Assembly) and academia.
Since 2011 KESS has provided an annual seminar series where the public sector joins with academics to consider research findings for the purpose of promoting evidence-based policy and law-making in Northern Ireland. KESS seeks to develop understanding and awareness of issues that relate to the Executive’s ‘Programme for Government’ (PfG).
It further seeks to encourage engagement and debate among a spectrum of attendees; encouraging attendance from MLAs and their staff, Assembly Secretariat staff, public and private sector employees, as well as academics and representatives from voluntary and community groups.
KESS Context
The Assembly constitutes the legislative arm of devolved government in NI, which holds the Executive to account.
It is empowered to scrutinise, propose and advise on matters relating to policy, legislation (both primary and secondary) and the budget within 'devolved' areas; i.e. those areas in which the Assembly has authority to act ('legislative competence'), as prescribed by the NI Act 1998, as amended.
The Assembly fulfils those roles and responsibilities by engaging in debates and making decisions via both its committee system (when elected Members sit in Standing/Statutory/Ad hoc Committees) and its plenaries (when the Assembly sits as a whole).
To do so, its Members identify, bring forward and or assess evidence within short timeframes, while dealing with diverse, demanding workloads. Consequently the Assembly has unique research and information needs; and is supported and informed by multiple sources - such as the KESS.
Each year the KESS Committee publish a list of ‘Hot Topics’ that policy-makers are keen to hear evidence on. This list will be available when the next KESS call for applications goes live.
Annual Programme
The KESS annual programme runs from October-June, including approximately 16 seminar dates. Each seminar addresses 2-3 themes under a broad heading.
Academics present on these themes highlighting the relevance of their research findings to Assembly business.
Panel
The KESS Panel determines the annual programme, selecting from applications received in the spring prior to the Series commencing. The Panel is composed of representatives from the Assembly and all 5 universities. It meets to plan and agree the annual programme, as well as procedures and practices relating to the operation and delivery of KESS. It arranges the support needed for academics presenting at seminars, e.g. Seminar Briefing Packs and Workshops.
Ulster University representatives:
- Professor Ann Marie Gray - Applied Social and Policy Sciences
- Professor Joan Ballantine – Accounting, Finance and Economics
- Maria Prince – Research & Impact
Administrative Team
The Administrative Team includes staff from RaISe, which plays a central coordinating role, and each university. It provides administrative support to enable the organisation and delivery of KESS.
Presentations and Policy Briefings
Academics who participate in KESS do so via an oral 20-minute Presentation (including a power point) and a written 5-6 pages Policy Briefing.
Workshops are provided quarterly by RaISe at each university, to facilitate academics’ compilation of Presentations and Policy Briefings.
The Panel also encourages academics to work with academics from other disciplines, both intra- and inter-institutionally, presenting multi-disciplinary, accessible, robust, non-partisan, evidence- based, research findings, which are relevant to Assembly business, including, but not limited to the appended Hot Topics List. As KESS aims, such findings facilitate evidence-based policy and law-making in NI.
The application process is currently on hold due to Stormont abeyance. An all staff email will be circulated when it reopens.
For more information please contact Maria Prince m.prince@ulster.ac.uk