These opportunities and resources have been compiled by UK Parliament’s Knowledge Exchange Unit (KEU) to help you understand how to engage with Parliament as a researcher.

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

Jump to:

Select committees currently accepting written evidence (compiled 01 July 2026)

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.

New calls for evidence:

All other inquiries currently accepting written evidence:

Why should I engage? Submitting evidence to a select committee can lead to further engagement, such as an invite 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 here. And find more on engagement for impact here.  

What should I expect? All evidence will be read and taken into consideration, but you may not receive a direct response from us or the Committee. To stay informed, we encourage you to follow the progress on the respective committee / inquiry webpages. 

More information: all inquiries currently accepting evidence are found here 

Support resources: find guidance on submitting evidence to select committees on the KEU’s ‘how to guides’ page  

PhD Fellowship – applications now open! 

The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology is welcoming applications for a 13-week funded fellowship for members of the Royal Society of Chemistry* who are undertaking or have recently completed PhD study. The fellowship will support the use of research evidence, usually through preparing briefing material for parliamentarians on emerging science topics. 

*Applicants who are not currently members of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) but wish to be considered for this opportunity can join the RSC (at least one week) ahead of submitting their fellowship application. 

Read the full details about the fellowship,including how to apply.  
Deadline for applications: 1 August 2026

Why should I engage? POST’s PhD fellowships offer a once in a lifetime opportunity to view the epicentre of policy-making from the inside. By the end of their time at POST, fellows learn how to write for policy with balance and impartiality. They also develop a unique understanding of Westminster and forge important relationships with key stakeholders, while often delving into a novel and exciting topic of research.

Find out more about what a POST fellowship is like and the opportunities it can lead to. 

What should I expect?All applications will be read and taken into consideration, but please note you may not receive a direct response from us. If you do not hear anything further, then please assume your application has not been successful on this occasion. 

More information: Find out more about POST fellowships. Watch an interview with a previous POST fellow to learn about her experience. 

Thematic Research Lead information session recording and transcript

If you missed our Thematic Research Lead information webinar on Thursday 18 June 2026, (or you just loved it so much you want to watch it all over again) you can watch the recording, which is live on our website!

Watch the recording or read the transcript 

Why should I engage? The position of TRL is a highly influential and prestigious role at the heart of Parliament. The role presents a unique opportunity for you to work closely with policy, research and analysis staff from across the UK Parliament. It offers an exciting opportunity for you to see first-hand how research feeds into policy, through shaping parliamentary work with your research expertise and participating in the development of parliamentary processes for knowledge exchange.  

You will be uniquely placed to build connections with parliamentary and government stakeholders to take forward through your career, and this participation will provide you with rich and varied experiences to support you on an upward professional trajectory. Former TRLs have reported that the role has contributed to advancement in their careers, including to professorial level.

More information: Thematic Research Leads were created to build a strategic bridge between Parliament and the research community, helping ensure that parliamentarians have access to rich sources of evidence and expertise. Finding out more about the current and former TRLs will provide insight into their areas of focus, and show you how we work together to enhance the ways your research can flow into Parliament. 

Find out more or to apply to one of the seven TRL roles: Thematic Research Leads.

Calling out to all experts in the UK’s engagement with the multilateral system

The International Relations and Defence Committee is undertaking an inquiry into the UK’s engagement with the multilateral system.

The inquiry will proceed in two stages: the first will consider the main trends affecting the multilateral system and what this means for UK strategy, while the second phase will concentrate on three or four priority areas for multilateral engagement that are critical to the UK’s national interest and where the UK can play to its strengths.

This call for evidence is the first of two to be published by the Committee and covers the first stage of the inquiry. The second call will be published over the summer.

The committee has expressed that they are keen to have contributions from the academic community. The committee will use the written evidence to shape the inquiry and inform their report.. To find out more about the inquiry please click here. 

The call for evidence can be found here. 

The deadline for written evidence responses is 5pm on 20 July 2026. 

Why should I engage? Submitting evidence to a select committee can lead to further engagement, such as an invite 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 here. And find more on engagement for impact here.   

What should I expect? All evidence will be read and taken into consideration, but you may not receive a direct response from us or the Committee. To stay informed, we encourage you to follow the progress on the respective committee / inquiry webpages. 

More information: all inquiries currently accepting evidence are found here 

Support resources: find guidance on submitting evidence to select committees on the KEU’s ‘how to guides’ page  

There is also: Guidance on submitting evidence to select committees can be found here.

Reminder: UKRI policy internships 2026 – applications open

Applications for UKRI-funded PhD students to take up a three-month internship opportunity at an influential policy organisation are open! 

One of the placements you could choose is with the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST)… i.e. our team! Within POST, our team synthesizes research into accessible, impartial briefings for parliamentarians. This offers a unique opportunity to work closely with parliamentary processes and contribute directly to evidence-informed policymaking.

Please note, this opportunity is open to current PhD students who are funded by the research councils of UKRI. 

Key dates: 

  • Information session: 9 July, 3-4pm
  • Closing date for applications: 8 September 2026 at 16:00 
  • Shortlisting applications: October 2026
  • Interviews: October-November 2026 
  • Outcomes: November-December 2026 
  • Internships start: from January 2027 onwards 

Read the details about the POST internship opportunities. 
Or find out more about all the current UKRI internship opportunities at a range of policy organisations.

We’re running a one-hour information session for potential applicants who are interested in being placed in UK Parliament on Thursday 9 July, 3-4pm.

Sign up for the information session.  

Why should I engage? Internships at Parliament offer a once in a lifetime opportunity to view the epicentre of policymaking from the inside. Through their internship, interns learn how to write for policy with balance and impartiality, how select committees are structured and run inquiries, and how research and evidence is utilised in parliament. They also develop a unique understanding of Westminster and forge important relationships with key stakeholders, while often delving into a novel and exciting topic of research or a hot policy topic.  

More information: Find out more about what a PhD fellowship with POST is like and the opportunities it can lead to. 

Find out: more about POST fellowships. 
Watch an interview with a previous POST fellow to learn about her experience. 

How well do you know your parliamentary buzz words?

Parliament: This refers to the time between general elections. It has a maximum duration of 5 years.

Parliaments are separated by dissolutions. This is the official ending of a parliamentary term, which is actioned by the monarchy (on the advice of the Prime Minister). There are 25 days from dissolution to polling day. Following dissolution all parliamentary activities cease, Parliament is no longer operational. MPs are unable to enter the parliament of Westminster. 

Parliament is broken up into sessions. A session is a formal legislative year and is started with the State Opening of Parliament/The King’s Speech. Sessions are traditionally 1 year long with 4-5 sessions in each Parliament.

Sessions are separated by prorogations. This is when a parliamentary session ends and all legislative business is closed. 

Sessions are then interrupted by recesses. Recesses are scheduled breaks across the parliamentary session.

Sessions are split into sittings. A sitting is the daily meeting when the House of Commons or the House of Lords sit.

So what? Though this technical jargon may seem a bit dry, as an academic engaging with Parliament, it can be helpful for you to understand the landscape and better understand timeframes and when is the best time to feed into the parliamentary lifecycle. 

Whether you’re responding to a committee inquiry, sharing research or applying for a knowledge exchange opportunity, knowing where Parliament is in its cycle can help ensure your expertise reaches the right people at the right time.

For more information: