Policy engagement happens across the University in a number of ways and through faculties and central departments. Some of the policy initiatives and centres at Ulster include the following:
ARK
ARK is Northern Ireland’s social policy hub. Established in 2000 by researchers at Ulster University and Queen’s University Belfast, its primary goal is to increase the accessibility and use of academic data and research.
ARK provides robust and independent evidence which forms the basis for critical policy debate and informed policy making.
Visit KESS
The Assembly’s Research and Information Service (RaISe) jointly delivers KESS with Ulster University, Queen’s University Belfast, The Open University, St. Mary’s University College and Stranmillis University College.
Aiming to promote evidence-informed policy and law-making, KESS (Knowledge Exchange Seminar Series) provides a forum in which academics present their research findings in a straightforward format, on issues that are relevant to governance in Northern Ireland.
Economic Policy Centre
The Ulster University Economic Policy Centre is an independent economic research centre whose aim is to produce evidence-based research to inform policy development and implementation.
The Centre engages with organisations that have an interest in enhancing the Northern Ireland economy and its work is relevant to Government, business and the wider general public.
ADRC-NI
The Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland (ADRC NI) is a partnership between Ulster University and Queen’s University Belfast. The centre is part of the wider ADR UK network, a partnership between universities, government departments and agencies, national statistics authorities, funders and the wider research community.
ADR UK makes it possible for researchers to access information collected by national and local government and other public sector organisations.
UPEN
The Universities Policy Engagement Network, UPEN, is a community of UK universities committed to increasing the impact of research on policy.
UPEN offers a dedicated contact point for policymakers, and a collective response to requests for evidence. It organises knowledge exchange events with government, parliament, devolved bodies, and identifies mechanisms to take forward specific projects.
INCORE
Established in 1993, the International Conflict Research Institute, INCORE, drives forward research and teaching uncovering and explaining the causes and consequence of conflict.
The research at INCORE is highly interdisciplinary in nature and draws on a broad range of expertise that spans criminology, community work, governance, peace-making, political science, public administration, public policy, restorative practice, social policy, sociology, social work and youth work.
TJI
The Transitional Justice Institute (TJI), established in 2003, is a law-led interdisciplinary Research Institute at Ulster University.
TJI is internationally recognised as a leading academic centre in developing the field of transitional justice – broadly, the study of law in societies emerging from conflict and repression.
TJI place research emanating from Northern Ireland at the forefront of local and global academic, legal and policy debates.
HIRANI
The Health Innovation Research Alliance Northern Ireland (HIRANI) is an alliance of universities, health organisations and other industry bodies.
It was established to strengthen the Life & Health Sciences ecosystem by maintaining a clear vision and strategic direction, and to act as a single voice for the sector with a focus on promoting Life and Health science capabilities in Northern Ireland.