The partnership between BIT in the UK and BIG at the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government is supported by a grant from the Sloan Foundation.

It will extend BIT’s access to leading thinking and research from Harvard and other academic institutions, while academics affiliated with Harvard’s BIG will have the opportunity to see their ideas affecting government policy.

The two main objectives are to create a network of academics across the world dedicated to improving knowledge exchange and help put in place behavioural insights interventions. There will be a focus on linking world class academics with public policymakers, including bringing high potential PhD scholars from North America and elsewhere to work with BIT in London. It will also host conferences with the first planned for October at Harvard.

David Halpern, chief executive of the Behavioural Insights Team (pictured), said: “This is a great example of how we can bridge the gap between academia and policymaking, helping us to draw on Harvard’s world class expertise in the field of behavioural insights”.

BIT was formed in 2010 by the Coalition Government. In early 2014, BIT became a social purpose company owned by the Cabinet Office, Nesta and employees.