Where academia meets government

Public Sectors worldwide are increasingly looking to partner with academics as part of a broader commitment to connect across industry with innovators at the cutting-edge.

The benefits of establishing interdisciplinary and cross-sector partnerships are already well-known to be essential for tackling complex emerging trends, yet in today's fast-paced digitalised world, it's neither easy for public sector to discover the right academic partners, nor for universities to locate demand for their expertise within government that will enable enhanced distribution of knowledge and research.

Further compounding the issue, administrative burdens and the lack of mechanisms available to share knowledge continually hamper academia's ability to find opportunities to collaborate and amplify the impact of their work with government counterparts.

Imagine amplifying your reach to an influential set of public sector leaders, through channels engineered to match the most relevant areas of focus across government.

New relationships don't appear overnight; yet partnering with Public Sector Network immediately opens a direct door to a vast public sector and vendor audience, providing essential access to extensive data, resources, and funding opportunities for groundbreaking research. Plus, faculty and researchers get the chance to shine at Public Sector Network-hosted conferences, boosting visibility and credibility in-person.

But that's not all. By diving into real-world projects and focus groups through Public Sector Network, universities can directly assist government in meaningful improvement to public policy and societal change, safely sharing resources with no red tape and swiftly communicating in real time.

Tackling national, local, even global challenges head-on, you'll transcend traditional academic approaches that have not always aligned with government agencies' focus on applied research with immediate policy implications, to truly elevate your research, expand your influence, and forge a lasting impact for your university's network.

Through extensive consultation with our network, Public Sector Network's Digital Leaders Series is designed to address 5 roadblocks hindering effective public sector innovation, collaboration, and partnerships.

In order to achieve this, the program of work will facilitate:

1. Alignment of Research & Solutions with Practical Public Sector Needs:

• Provide a platform for public sector to clearly communicate needs and priorities ensuring that research efforts and solutions are directed towards practical and actionable outcomes.
• Select evidence-based, research-driven, and high-impact themes to encourage academia and industry to focus on applied research with immediate policy implications.

2. Development of Strategic Engagement Channels for Innovation & Research Partnerships:

• Set up a dedicated channel with both academic and industry leaders to ensure that the right expertise is able to match with public sector needs.
• Secure diverse and inclusive representation of professionals to accelerate the discovery of far-reaching opportunities for engagement through the initiative.

3. Creation of Safe and Accessible Environments to Ease Administrative Processes:

• Enable participants to meet on credible and neutral grounds through esteemed research partners in Higher Education, creating a low risk touchpoint.
• Ensure an objective, theme-centered discussion (non-sales or marketing) to maintain high probity standards.

4. Enhancement of Visibility and Access to Academic and Industry Resources:

• Implement systems to increase visibility into academic research and industry resources, creating an agnostic insights library to aggregate relevant knowledge.
• Utilise high-visibility platforms such as showcase conferences, workshops, and seminars to disseminate information and opportunities.

5. Establishment of Continuous Knowledge Sharing Mechanisms:

• Ensure regular cadence of meetings, publications, and ongoing knowledge sharing.
• Deploy a shared digital platform/group as a continuous feedback loop to ensure a steady flow of information and ideas.

Through the establishment of these mechanisms with the Digital Leaders Series, public sector leaders can effectively overcome the challenges of forming partnerships with academia and industry. These actions will pave the way for innovative solutions, informed policy-making, and the modernisation of government services, ultimately benefiting society as a whole.