These opportunities have been compiled by UK Parliament’s Knowledge Exchange Unit (KEU).

Take a look at the KEU’s webhub of information and resources for researchers.

These opportunities and resources have been sent to members of the KEU’s informal network for knowledge mobilisers, for circulation to the research community (find out more about the network).

Jump to:

Select committee inquiries launched in the last week (since 27 April 2023)

Please click the title of any inquiry listed below to be taken to a summary of that inquiry and the full call for evidence.

Remember that you don’t have to answer every question posed in each call for evidence. And you can also explore all select committee inquiries currently open for submissions of written evidence.

Legislative Scrutiny: Data Protection and Digital Information Bill | Human Rights (Joint Committee) | Friday 26 May 2023

PESCO and UK-EU Defence Cooperation | European Scrutiny Committee | Friday 30 June 2023

Select committee inquiries launched in the last two weeks (since 20 April 2023) 

Please click the title of any inquiry listed below to be taken to a summary of that inquiry and the full call for evidence.  

Why should I engage? Submitting evidence to a select committee can lead to further engagement, such as an invitation to give oral evidence. Your submission will be published on the Committee webpage. Your insights may inform the Committee’s conclusions or recommendations it makes to the Government. Find out more about why to engage with Parliament. You can also read more on engagement for impact.

More information: Explore all select committee inquiries currently open for submissions of written evidence. 

Support resources: Find guidance on submitting evidence to select committees on the KEU’s ‘how to guides’ page. Watch our 30 minute online training session “How to work with select committees”.

Apply for a British Ecological Society fellowship with POST

Applications are now open for the 2023/24 British Ecological Society (BES) fellowship with POST. 

Successful applicants will be based in UK Parliament, supporting its use of research evidence. During their fellowship, successful applicants hone their ability to communicate scientific issues to a wider audience, including MPs and Peers. Fellows work closely with colleagues from across UK Parliament, and get to see how select committees, all party parliamentary groups and libraries work. 

The fellowship is open to BES members studying for a PhD at a UK university, who are in their second, third or fourth year of a full time PhD- or part time equivalent- at the time of application. 

The fellowship can be carried out full time for three months or part time over a longer period. Successful applicants will start in November 2023 or January 2024, subject to final agreement between the applicant, POST and the applicant’s supervisor. 

The deadline for applications is Tuesday 13 June 2023. 


More information about the scheme, including how to apply, can be found on the POST website. 

Why should I engage? Fellows at POST will have the opportunity to produce their own parliamentary briefing from start to finish. By the end of their time at POST, fellows will have learned how to write for policy-makers with balance, impartiality and succinctness. They will also have developed a unique understanding of Westminster, forged important relationships with key stakeholders, and delved into a novel and exciting topic of research.

More information: Find out more about the scheme here,read about previous fellows’ experiences here, and find out more about the impacts of participating in a fellowship here.  

ICYMI: Opportunity for PhD researchers to do a Royal Society of Chemistry fellowship with POST 

Applications are now open for the 2023/24 Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) POST Fellowship scheme!

Successful applicants will be based in UK Parliament, supporting its use of research evidence. Most fellows assist POST in providing briefing materials for parliamentarians on emerging science topics. Work may include: 

  • Producing a POSTnote or POSTbrief (briefing documents to help inform the work of MPs and Peers) or contributing to a longer briefing report.
  • Assisting a select committee in an ongoing inquiry.
  • Organising a seminar to inform or disseminate research.

The fellowship is open to RSC members who are undertaking or have recently completed their PhD study. If you are not already a member of the RSC, you can apply to join prior to submitting your Fellowship application. 

The fellowship can be carried out full-time for three months or part-time over a longer period. Successful applicants will be expected to start their fellowship between September 2023 and May 2024. 

The deadline for applications is Monday 12 June 2023. 

More information about the fellowship, including how to apply, can be found on the POST website. 

Why should I engage? Fellows at POST will have the opportunity to produce their own parliamentary briefing from start to finish. By the end of their time at POST, fellows will have learned how to write for policy-makers with balance, impartiality and succinctness. They will also have developed a unique understanding of Westminster, forged important relationships with key stakeholders, and delved into a novel and exciting topic of research.

More information: Find out more about the scheme here,read about previous fellows’ experiences here, and find out more about the impacts of participating in a fellowship here.    

A royal fact for the weekend 

On Saturday 6 May King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be coronated at Westminster Abbey. An important part of the ceremony is the taking of the Coronation Oath, which is required by the Coronation Oath Act of 1689. In the Coronation Oath, the monarch swears to govern the peoples of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth Realms “according to their respective laws and customs”. The wording of this oath has constantly evolved to reflect changes to the territorial composition of the UK and the wider Commonwealth.

So what?

The House of Commons Library has written several briefing papers on the coronation ceremony, and the Accession of King Charles III, as part of their work to provide detailed, impartial briefings for MPs. The House of Commons Library is comprised of 80 subject specialists who produce briefings for MPs on a range of subjects, which support MPs in debating laws and scrutinising the work of the Government. House of Commons Library briefings are regularly referenced in debates in the House of Commons Chamber.

House of Commons Library briefings are published on the UK Parliament website and are free for the public to access. Briefing papers are an incredibly useful tool for researchers, and visitors to the site can search for papers by subject area. Researchers can also sign up for Library Alerts, where library briefings on their chosen subject areas are sent directly to their inbox. As briefing papers are produced ahead of House of Commons debates, they are also a useful way for researchers to see what topics are being debated in Parliament.