Workshop: Preparing for a Career Beyond Academia: Practical Training in Policy Writing and Communication

This one-day workshop equips PhD candidates and recent graduates with practical skills for translating academic research into accessible formats for policymakers, think tanks, government agencies, and international organizations. Hosted by the Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI) as part of the Graduate School in Asian Studies, the workshop offers both conceptual and hands-on training in policy analysis, report writing, and research communication.

Through presentations, examples, and feedback sessions, participants will learn how to structure and write policy reports, understand UI’s different publication formats, and effectively disseminate research to policymakers and other key audiences. 

Participants will share their own academic texts or policy drafts ahead of the workshop to receive feedback from UI analysts and peers, including guidance on translating academic work into policy texts.

Eligibility: Current PhD students and those who have completed their degree within the past year, focusing on contemporary East and South-East Asia and based at a Swedish university, are invited to apply.

Financial support: Those coming from other cities in Sweden will have their travel covered and be offered two nights accommodation. The workshop also provide a lunch and a dinner.

Deadline 1 October. Application closed. 

About UI

The Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI) is an independent institute based in Stockholm and a platform for research and information on international relations and foreign policy. UI’s research activities are conducted within four research programs, including the Asia Programme, and two national competence centers, including the Swedish National China Centre (NKK). 

Schedule

Location: UI, Amiralitetsbacken 1, 111 49 Stockholm

Date: 13 January 2026

Morning session (09:15 – 12:00)

• Welcome and introduction to UI and its work
• What is a policy report, how do you write it, and how do you communicate it? 

Lunch at Moderna (12:00 – 13:00)

Afternoon session (13:30 – 16:00)

Discussion of participants’ pre-shared texts

• Feedback from UI analysts
• Peer-to-peer review
• Turning the drafts into publishable reports
• Summary of the day: Key differences between academic and policy writing

Evening (18:00 – 20:00)

• Dinner with guests from UI