In this blog, Dr Kostas Kollydas and Dr Gerardo Javier Arriaga Garcia reflect on the main themes and lessons from a cross-LPIP discussion on innovation, good work and skills. Introduction Local Policy Innovation Partnerships (LPIPs) bring together universities, policymakers, businesses, communities and other local organisations around shared challenges. While each partnership works in a different … Continue reading “Learning Across Local Policy Innovation Partnerships: What We Heard From a Cross-LPIP Discussion on Innovation, Good Work and Skills”
Category: Innovation
Trust as Infrastructure in Place-Based Innovation
In this blog, Gerardo J. Arriaga‑Garcia, Sophie Cloutterbuck and Nina Ruddle discuss how innovation in place depends on trust, stewardship, system skills and the often invisible intermediary work that connects communities, institutions and decision-making. In a recent episode of Placecast, Dr Gerardo J. Arriaga-Garcia, City-REDI Research Fellow and LPIP Innovation Co-lead, spoke with Nina Ruddle, … Continue reading “Trust as Infrastructure in Place-Based Innovation”
Being the Grit in the System: Reflections from a Social Entrepreneur and LPIP Fellow
In this reflective blog, Mark Swift explores how his LPIP Fellowship reinforced the importance of community knowledge, participation and productive challenge in helping institutions remain open to learning, innovation and transformation. A fellowship and a moment of reflection When I joined the Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) Fellowship programme, I expected to learn more about … Continue reading “Being the Grit in the System: Reflections from a Social Entrepreneur and LPIP Fellow”
How Does Civic Power Accumulate?
Mark Swift argues that places must move beyond one-off participation initiatives and invest in the civic infrastructure that enables civic capability, confidence, leadership and influence to accumulate across the life course. This blog is based on Mark’s recent report – Building Civic Capability: A Life Course Framework for Place. From participation to capability Over the … Continue reading “How Does Civic Power Accumulate?”
Why Public Systems Need to Learn from the Outside-In
In this blog, Mark Swift argues that public sector transformation is no longer driven solely from within institutions. Increasingly, the most valuable insights are emerging from the spaces between systems, communities, and lived experience. This blog discusses the findings in Mark’s recent report – The Outside-In: The Role of Social Entrepreneurs in Public Sector Transformation. … Continue reading “Why Public Systems Need to Learn from the Outside-In”
UKRI’s Place Moment Has Arrived – And Universities Must Step Up
On 5 March 2026, at The Exchange, University of Birmingham, a room full of universities, funders and civic partners gathered for what felt like a quiet turning point. The discussions were billed as a “briefing”, but the tone was unmistakably strategic: UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) centre of gravity is shifting, and the future is … Continue reading “UKRI’s Place Moment Has Arrived – And Universities Must Step Up”
Dialling Up Democracy: Renewing Trust Through Civic Innovation
Mark Swift discusses how participatory governance and democratic innovation can help rebuild trust in public life. This article draws on a policy working paper exploring how democratic innovation can strengthen trust, participation and governance in the UK. The full paper examines these ideas in greater depth and outlines practical pathways for “dialling up democracy” in the … Continue reading “Dialling Up Democracy: Renewing Trust Through Civic Innovation”
From Glossaries to Ground Game: What “Innovation” Really Means for Places, and Why the LPIP Matters
Innovation isn’t a glossary term—it’s the practical work of turning ideas into value for people and places. In this blog, Gerardo J. Arriaga‑Garcia explores how the LPIP programme helps move innovation from theory to meaningful impact. If you work in policy, you’ve seen the glossaries: tidy lists of “innovation” terms presented as if they live … Continue reading “From Glossaries to Ground Game: What “Innovation” Really Means for Places, and Why the LPIP Matters”
Rebalancing Health Innovation for Health Equity: Put Communities at the Centre
Alongside high-tech advances, we need long-term, values-led innovation in community-powered health approaches to tackle health inequalities and ease pressure on services, writes Mark Swift, LPIP Hub Place Fellow with colleagues Tanuka Palit, Henk Parmentier, Liam Spence and James Smith. A Broader View of Innovation Health innovation in the UK is flourishing. Advances in AI, digital … Continue reading “Rebalancing Health Innovation for Health Equity: Put Communities at the Centre”
Valuing What Matters: From Tick-Box to Stewardship – Reclaiming Social Value as a Driver of Trust, Equity, and Lasting Change
Mark Swift, LPIP Hub Place Fellow, argues that social value in public spending must move beyond compliance and tick-box exercises to a stewardship approach that embeds collaboration, citizen co-creation, and mission-driven investment to tackle inequalities and build resilient communities. When the Public Services (Social Value) Act 20121 was introduced in England and Wales, it was … Continue reading “Valuing What Matters: From Tick-Box to Stewardship – Reclaiming Social Value as a Driver of Trust, Equity, and Lasting Change”