Institutional engagement

At Research England we recognise the importance of working in partnership with the universities and other HE providers that we fund. The knowledge and insights that we get from working with you help us to make better policy choices and to advocate more effectively for the support we provide. It is only through sustained and meaningful engagement and dialogue with the HE sector that we can deliver on our aim to support world-class university research and knowledge exchange that has significant benefits for our economy and society.

Our engagement is guided by our Institutions Engagement Strategy and accompanying Engagement Strategy Equality Impact Assessment (EIA).

Our team of institutional engagement managers will work with your institution to help us understand the outcomes that our funding and policy choices are delivering, and opportunities and challenges you face. Your assigned institutional engagement manager will provide your institution with a dedicated point of engagement with Research England, complementing and strengthening the existing relationships that we have with you.

You can search for the institution engagement manager for your institution below.

Institution engagement managers

Jill Downey

Jill Downey

Jill joined the higher education sector in 2018, bringing 22 years of experience from NHS, local government and charity settings. Her career has encompassed service user and public engagement, stakeholder management, commissioning and quality assurance of health and social care services, safeguarding, and equality and diversity. Jill has a degree in Literary Studies and an MA in Oral Culture and Literature.
Email Jill Downey

Alexa Bishop

Alexa Bishop

Following a PhD in cellular biology from University of Manchester, Alexa has worked in academic research engagement in the museum and charity sectors for over 10 years. Through roles at Manchester Museum and Cancer Research UK, she has experience in stakeholder and relationship management, public engagement with research, project management and research strategy. Alexa has a BSc in Biochemistry from University of Birmingham.
Email Alexa Bishop

Liz Kebby-Jones

Liz Kebby-Jones

Following degrees in Classics and International Public Policy, Liz worked as an analyst in business and human rights risk before joining the HE and research sector in 2014. As an Engagement Manager at HEFCE she specialised in college HE before transitioning to work on the Office for Students registration process. Alongside her responsibilities as an Institutions Engagement Manager at RE, Liz oversees Research England’s stakeholder relationship with UUK International (UUKi), working with RE’s Director of Research and colleagues at UKRI on international research policy.
Email Liz Kebby-Jones

Kim Seth

Kim Seth

Kim has worked in relationship management roles for over fifteen years for HEFCE, The Law Society and CIMA.  She has played a lead role in establishing our engagement function. Kim is responsible for our Engagement Forums and is supporting the REF team to deliver the Institutional Environment Pilot.  Kim studied Dance and Culture at the University of Surrey and gained a post-graduate qualification from the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
Email Kim Seth

Find your institution engagement manager

Click here to find your institution engagement manager.