Public policy is a discipline with global reach and importance, yet students and educators often find themselves in isolation and lacking a common language. The members of PolicyNet, a network of global researchers, students and academic institutions, found themselves in just this predicament with no way to know if they were studying the same global issues. This case study describes how a business social software solution provides the researchers, students and institutions of PolicyNet with the ability to seek out, share insights and collaborate with their counterparts down the hallway, across the street and around the world. With an online community researchers can compare notes, network with 'virtual workspaces' and learn about other institutions' events, course material and programs.