Author
Jonathan Grant
Contributing Editor, Wonkhe
Jonathan Grant is the Vice President for Strategic Initiatives at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. In this newly established role, he helps advance KAUST’s strategic vision to accelerate impact by strengthening its leadership in global and Saudi Arabian higher education. His efforts focus on transformative academic programming, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and cultivating strategic partnerships. In addition to spearheading these initiatives, Jonathan collaborates with senior leadership to align and progress the university’s broader strategic goals.
Jonathan’s expertise spans biomedical and health R&D policy, research impact assessment, evidence-based policymaking, and the evolving social purpose of universities in the 21st century. His extensive international experience includes shaping and implementing R&D strategies across the UK, Greece, Norway, Qatar, Oman, Abu Dhabi, Australia, Canada, and the USA.
Before joining KAUST, Jonathan founded Different Angles Ltd, a consultancy dedicated to maximising the social impact of universities and research. Over five years, he led diverse projects for universities and research funders worldwide, while also developing training programs focused on research impact and the civic mission of universities. Notably, his online program, Impact by Design, remains available through his website.
Prior to launching Different Angles in 2020, Jonathan served as a professor of public policy at King’s College London. Joining in 2014, he established the Policy Institute and served as its Director until 2017. He then ‘held the pen’ in crafting King’s strategic vision, Vision 2029. Subsequently, he became Vice President & Vice Principal (Service), overseeing the university’s pioneering commitment to social responsibility. This included initiatives in social reform, research impact, service-led learning, volunteering, and environmental sustainability—key components of King’s vision.
Earlier in his career, Jonathan was the President of RAND Europe from 2006 to 2012, where he significantly expanded the organisation’s operations and co-founded the Cambridge Centre for Health Services Research, a collaboration with the University of Cambridge. Before joining RAND, he served as Head of Policy at the Wellcome Trust.
Jonathan is author of The New Power University: The Social Purpose of Higher Education in the 21st Century, published by Pearson in March 2021.
26 pieces
Newest first, since November 2017 · page 1 of 2
· Comment
No more civic washing – most universities now pay their staff a living wage
Jonathan Grant has seen very cheering progress on UK universities’ living wage policies over the last four years
· Comment
How to set up an academic think tank
How and why should universities set up a think tank? That is the question that Jonathan Grant is often asked on his travels around the sector
· Comment
Lessons from Alberta on university accelerators and their regions
A report on innovation accelerators in Alberta has a number of lessons for accelerators in the UK. Jonathan Grant, Kathryn Graham and Reesa John share what it means for our regions
With Kathryn Graham and Reesa John
· Comment
Universities should never be neutral on the social issues of the day
Jonathan Grant traces the history of universities’ role in securing social justice, arguing that neutrality on such issues undermines the sector’s reputation
· Analysis
Let’s make 2024 the year all UK universities commit to the real living wage
The numbers of universities that pay a living wage is growing year on year – Jonathan Grant urges those remaining to bite the bullet
· Comment
Should the UK research system aspire to hyperlocal impact?
If levelling up is still on the agenda, funders need to measure – and incentivise – the impact of research in institutions’ backyards. Jonathan Grant and Martin Szomszor make the case
With Martin Szomszor
· Analysis
The impact of Hong Kong university research on society
What stories can be told about the impact of research? The team behind a new analysis of Hong Kong RAE impact case studies explains
With Jonathan Adams, Martin Szomszor, Kate Williams and Ryan Beardsley
· Comment
The radical response to the Nurse review is to sustainably fund the dual support system
Research funding has been unsustainable for decades, points out Jonathan Grant – so what would a new review of research funding change?
· Analysis
Are universities still “civic washing”?
Many universities claim to have a civic mission, but how many are paying the living wage? Jonathan Grant takes a look at the sector’s progress so far
· Comment
Still the China question
A year on from their landmark report Jo Johnson, Jonathan Adams, and Jonathan Grant find that little has been done to mitigate the risk implicit in closer academic links between the UK and China
With Jo Johnson and Jonathan Adams
· Comment
Trust, Alberta, and lessons for UK research
Jonathan Grant and Kathryn Graham take a look at the innovation systems of Alberta and wonder what lessons there might be for UK universities and policy makers
With Kathryn Graham
· Comment
Stories before spreadsheets: HE leaders who use community organising methods in developing strategy
Jonathan Grant and Ross Pow explore how universities can harvest collective emotion to create an authentic community identity when designing strategy
With Ross Pow
· Wonk Corner
Five REF myths to watch out for
As the higher education sector gears up for this week’s REF2021 results, it’s time to round up the myths that circulate about the exercise and test them against the evidence.
· Comment
Book review: The impact of the integrated practitioner in higher education by Emily McIntosh and Diane Nutt
Jonathan Grant applauds a new edited collection exploring the boundary-crossing “third space professional” roles in higher education
· Comment
Are universities “civic washing”?
In 2019, some 59 vice chancellors committed to developing a civic university agreement. Jonathan Grant isn’t thrilled with progress since
· Comment
Why the UK should deepen research ties with China and India
China and India are the UK’s most significant collaborators on international research – but their systems are very different. Jonathan Grant, Jo Johnson, and Jonathan Adams compare and contrast
With Jo Johnson and Jonathan Adams
· Comment
Enabling social mobility means taking risks
Michael Young, Annie Willingham, Jonathan Grant, Paul Greatrix and Christopher Hale consider how OfS might resolve some of its ongoing challenges
With Michael Young, Annie Willingham, Paul Greatrix and Chris Hale
· Comment
Culture, performance, and assessment in research
Susan Guthrie and Jonathan Grant find that high-performance research relies on a good research culture.
With Susan Guthrie
· Comment
Build Back Higher: is it jam tomorrow for science and research?
Science has emerged strong from the pandemic, says Jonathan Grant – but Andy Westwood warns of a lack of coherence in government priorities for research.
With Andy Westwood
· Comment
Funding the full cost of research would allow universities to renew their public mission
Jonathan Grant and Simon Lancaster explain why a Comprehensive Spending Review offers a chance to rethink research funding.
With Simon Lancaster