British Academy: The UK's National Academy for the Humanities and Social Sciences

SAGE POLICY FORUM

Held at the British Academy on 19 November 2009. Four sessions around the theme of evidence-based policy and the use of science and research by government.

Please note that the quality of some audio is impaired due to difficulties experienced with the initial recording

Programme
Chair: Baroness Onora O’Neill, CBE, FBA (University of Cambridge)

09.30 Registration and refreshments – Mall Room, 1st floor
10.00 Introduction to the Day
Baroness O’Neill

10.10 Punching Our Weight? The Wilson Report, One Year On

• What has happened since September 2008?
• What has been the impact of the Credit Crunch on social research?
• What are the continuing and new challenges we face?

• Sir Alan Wilson FBA FRS (University College London, report’s author) [20MB mp3]; accompanying presentation

Respondent

• Professor Paul Wiles (Government Chief Social Scientist) [mp3]
• Questions and discussion [mp3]

10.50 Refreshments

11.10 A Better Quality of Life?

• What is the value of Social Research and which areas of social research can contribute most to a better quality of life?
• These questions will be addressed by examining three case studies in areas such as family policy, education and criminology.

• Polly Toynbee (The Guardian, Chair) [18MB mp3]
• Professor Sir Michael Rutter FRS FMed Sci HonFBA (King’s College, London) [mp3]; accompanying presentation
• Discussion between Polly Toynbee and Sir Professor Michael Rutter [5MB mp3]

Respondents

• Professor Harvey Goldstein FBA (University of Bristol) [15MB mp3]; accompanying presentation
• Discussion between Poly Toynbee and Professor Harvey Goldstein [5MB mp3]
• Professor Mike Hough (Institute for Criminal Policy Research, King’s College, London) [9MB mp3]; accompanying presentation

• Questions and discussion of 'Better Quality of Life' session [mp3]

12.30 Lunch – Mall Room, 1st floor

13.45 Research Design and Quality

• What does high quality research look like?
• What are the critical factors required to support the best quantitative and qualitative research, such as the role IT plays and the importance of good longitudinal datasets?
• How can we improve evaluation of the evidence for policy makers?

• Professor Albert Weale FBA (University of Essex, Chair)[3.5MB mp3]
• Sharon Witherspoon (Nuffield Foundation) [2.4MB mp3]
• Professor Ray Pawson (University of Leeds) [18.5MB mp3]; accompanying presentation
• Dame Karen Dunnell (recently retired National Statistician) [18.5MB mp3]

• Questions and discussion of 'Research Design and Quality' session [20MB mp3]

15.05 Refreshments – Mall Room, 1st floor

15.20 Where Do We Go from Here?

• Are policy makers listening to the evidence?
• What happens when the evidence upsets the status quo?
• And how much will future public expenditure cuts affect the prospects for social research after the next election?

• A discussion chaired by Ann Mroz (Editor, Times Higher Education) with
• Rt Hon Malcolm Wicks MP [11MB mp3]
• Ian Mulheirn (Social Market Foundation) [8MB mp3]
• Dr Brian Iddon MP [12MB mp3]

• Questions and discussion of 'Where Do We Go from Here' session [19MB mp3]

16.15 Conclusions

• Observations on the day by Professor Rudolf Klein FBA (University of Bath), followed by concluding comments from Baroness Onora O'Neill and Ziyad Marar, SAGE