BU expert completes Academic Fellowship with the Parliamentary Office of Science & Technology
BU’s Professor John Oliver has successfully completed an Academic Fellowship with the Parliamentary Office of Science & Technology (POST).
John contributed to impartial policy analysis and statistical research looking at the restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster, where a number of parliamentary support services are based.
The major £6bn Restoration and Renewal (R&R) is creating considerable uncertainty over how the R&R project will be undertaken and the associated impact on a range of services. As the project is set to continue into the 2030s, the uncertainty could extend for a long period of time.
John used his expertise in scenario planning to lead the project leadership team through a programme of scenario based activities which resulted in the development of a 10-year scenario plan, allowing the leadership team to assess and manage the uncertainty of the project to ensure key services continue in their delivery.
Professor Oliver, a Professor in Media Management within the Faculty of Media and Communication at BU, said, “A management tool that enables leadership teams to develop strategy in uncertain operating environments is Scenario Planning. While this management tool has formed part of the strategist’s toolbox for a long time, the increasing level of dynamism and uncertainty in many business environments has meant that scenario planning has seen a resurgence in usage".
John spoke about his policy contributions, encouraging other academics to consider policy as a pathway to impact, saying, “Academics should look beyond the simple publication of their work and think more about how their research will contribute to society and the economy. Policy impact is one of the key areas for impact REF (Research Excellence Framework) assessments and the opportunity to impact areas of public policy is a challenge that needs to be embraced.”
John’s reflections on the Academic Fellowship can also be read in full on the UPEN website.
For more information about policy at BU, visit the Policy area of the BU website.
