In our August blog, we posed critical questions about how to scale up collaborative, place-based research between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and local stakeholders. Since then, we’ve built on our understanding of the infrastructure, skills, and methodologies required to foster impactful partnerships in collaboration with the four Local Policy Innovation Partnerships.
In this post, Elizabeth Goodyear reflects on recent insights, building on the themes introduced in August while drawing from our current literature review work and examples across the UK’s devolved nations.
Building Collaborative Infrastructure and Governance
Earlier in the project, we highlighted the need for flexible governance structures to support equitable collaboration. Since then, we’ve further explored what makes governance effective. Effective place-based partnerships thrive on inclusive and transparent governance models that empower all stakeholders—academic and non-academic alike—to contribute meaningfully. The Working Together for a Better Wales event exemplifies this approach by uniting representatives from statutory bodies, third-sector organizations, and community-focused groups across Wales. By integrating public, private, and nonprofit entities, such collaborations enhance community resilience and ensure that diverse perspectives shape initiatives. This collective effort fosters environments where all partners work towards shared goals, leveraging their unique strengths to address complex local challenges.
Expanding the Skill Set: Leadership and Expertise
We also questioned how to cultivate the skills needed to lead collaborative efforts. Subsequently, we have identified boundary-spanning leadership as critical for bridging disciplinary and sectoral divides. This leadership approach enables the integration of diverse perspectives, ensuring that research aligns with real-world needs. The Queen’s Communities and Place (QCAP) initiative at Queen’s University Belfast exemplifies this by fostering partnerships that combine community and university knowledge to address social challenges. By facilitating collaboration across traditional boundaries, QCAP demonstrates how academic expertise and community insights can co-create impactful solutions.
Leadership, we’ve learned, isn’t just about guiding a team but also about facilitating inclusive, equitable decision-making processes. Effective leaders empower all participants—academic, local, and institutional—to contribute meaningfully, ensuring partnerships are robust and adaptive.
Addressing Structural and Policy Challenges
We have also delved into the UK Research Excellence Framework (REF) and the Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF), in England, both of which guide Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in aligning research with national and regional priorities. These frameworks provide a foundation for ensuring that partnerships not only produce measurable outcomes but also reflect shared values and objectives. In our review of the REF and KEF, we have looked for examples of how universities have used these reporting mechanisms to showcase their engagement work with industries and communities, thereby facilitating more fulfilling partnerships.
Equally important is knowledge mobilisation—the translation of research findings into actionable insights. Sustained knowledge-sharing platforms ensure that communities not only access academic knowledge but also see it reflected in practical, impactful outcomes. This two-way exchange underpins successful partnerships and supports lasting impact.
Moreover, integrating local goals with global frameworks like the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) supports the sustainability of partnerships. This alignment helps partnerships remain adaptable and relevant over time, ensuring their longevity.
Evaluating Impact: From Outcomes to Sustainability
We also explored the need to move beyond process-driven partnerships to focus on outcomes. Building on this, and drawing on ESRC’s Impact Toolkit, we’ve categorised these outcomes into:
- Instrumental outcomes: Tangible changes, such as policy reforms or infrastructure improvements.
- Capacity-building outcomes: Enhancing local and academic capabilities.
- Conceptual outcomes: Shifts in understanding and attitudes.
Sustainability also remains a key focus. Tools such as maturity frameworks and dashboards for monitoring policy changes or engagement levels provide practical resources for tracking long-term success.
Operational processes that create the environment for impact
Creating an environment where impactful place-based research can thrive requires carefully designed operational processes and mechanisms. These include:
- Co-production frameworks: Structures that enable iterative engagement between HEIs and local stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring the alignment of research priorities with local needs.
- Knowledge mobilisation intermediaries: Dedicated roles or entities that facilitate the translation of academic research into actionable community strategies, bridging the gap between theory and practice.
- Dynamic governance models: Flexible arrangements that adapt to emerging needs, balancing power among partners to foster equitable collaboration.
- Continuous capacity-building efforts: Training programmes for both academic and local participants to enhance interdisciplinary skills, enabling them to address complex challenges collaboratively.
These mechanisms establish the conditions under which successful collaboration can be achieved. By focusing on these foundational processes, partnerships can ensure that their initiatives are not only meaningful but also sustainable and adaptive to evolving regional and national priorities.
Reflections and Future Directions
Since the commencement of the project, our work has evolved from posing critical questions to developing a clearer understanding of what makes place-based research impactful. By synthesising insights from across the UK’s devolved nations, we’ve identified common themes—collaborative governance, boundary-spanning leadership, participatory methods, and robust evaluation frameworks. At the same time, we have recognised the importance of tailoring approaches to local contexts to maximise impact.
Looking ahead, we aim to refine these insights further and develop actionable frameworks that HEIs and local stakeholders can use to co-create transformative solutions. We invite you to share your experiences as we collectively shape the future of place-based research.
This blog was written by Elizabeth Goodyear, Programme Manager at City-REDI, University of Birmingham.
Find out more about the Local Policy Innovation Partnership Hub.
Disclaimer:
The views expressed in this analysis post are those of the authors and not necessarily those of City-REDI or the University of Birmingham.