Professor Kathryn Higgins and Dr Andrew Grounds show how QCAP demonstrates that effective civic engagement requires long-term institutional investment and system-level change in funding and incentives. Universities across the UK are under increasing pressure to demonstrate their civic role. Place-based partnerships, community engagement strategies and social value promises feature prominently in institutional strategies, and while … Continue reading “What Needs To Happen To Make the Civic University Work? Learnings From Queens Communities and Place (QCAP) Belfast”
From National Sectors to Local Strengths: Does Burnham’s Vision Rewrite Industrial Strategy?
Rebecca Riley analyses the likely next Prime Minister’s flagship speech through the lens of City-REDI and the LPIP Hub’s research, looking specifically at plans for industrial strategy. We take a look at Andy Burnham’s plans for devolution in this blog. Burnham’s speech implicitly raises a question that has been simmering in industrial strategy circles since … Continue reading “From National Sectors to Local Strengths: Does Burnham’s Vision Rewrite Industrial Strategy?”
Andy Burnham’s Devolution Vision: What Does the Evidence Say?
Rebecca Riley analyses the likely next Prime Minister’s flagship speech through the lens of City-REDI and the LPIP Hub’s research. We take a look at Burnham’s plans for the industrial strategy in this blog. Today, Andy Burnham delivered his first major policy speech since launching his bid for the Labour leadership, and, in all likelihood, … Continue reading “Andy Burnham’s Devolution Vision: What Does the Evidence Say?”
Putting Communities at the Heart of Place-Based Change: Launching the Communities in their Places Evidence Review
We are pleased to launch the LPIP Hub’s latest evidence review, Communities in their Places, which brings together academic and policy evidence on the role of communities in shaping economic, social and environmental outcomes across the UK. This review provides a timely ‘state-of-play’ on how communities interact with place-based policy, and offers insights to support … Continue reading “Putting Communities at the Heart of Place-Based Change: Launching the Communities in their Places Evidence Review”
Placecast Episode 18: Community-Driven Economic Growth in Wales
In Episode 18 of Placecast, Nicola Headlam interviews Professor Calvin Jones, a LPIP Hub Place Fellow working on sustainability and regional economics in Wales. The discussion explores how devolved governance in Wales is evolving, particularly in areas such as fiscal powers, wellbeing policy, and green transition. Cavlin argues that traditional growth-led economic models are failing … Continue reading “Placecast Episode 18: Community-Driven Economic Growth in Wales”
Placecast Episode 17: Trust and Place-Based Innovation
In this episode of Placecast, presenter Dr Gerardo Javier Arriaga-Garcia is joined by Nina Ruddle and Sophie Cloutterbuck to explore what really enables innovation to take root in places as different as North Wales and London. Together, they argue that successful place-based development is not driven primarily by infrastructure or investment, but by relationships, trust … Continue reading “Placecast Episode 17: Trust and Place-Based Innovation”
“Data is Never Neutral”: Telling Stories About Place
This blog, by Dr Joseph Owen, explores how a place-based qualitative data observatory can connect stories, strengthen evidence, and shape more grounded local decision-making. It explores some of the key ideas from this policy briefing – Towards A Place-Based Qualitative Data Observatory. For some time now, I’ve been keen to translate our research on qualitative … Continue reading ““Data is Never Neutral”: Telling Stories About Place”
Policy News – June 2026
This blog summarises the latest policy news that is important to place, including reports, inquiries, consultations, government research and events. It is updated every week. View previous editions. If you have a piece of research you would like to feature in Policy News, please get in touch. Reports Title Details Published Everything in its right place: Establishing … Continue reading “Policy News – June 2026”
Placecast Episode 16: Beyond Publications: Building Research Careers That Matter
In this episode of PlaceCast, Rebecca Riley talks to Dr Conor O’Carroll about how research careers need to evolve to better support place-based policy and real-world impact. Dr O’Carroll argues that traditional academic pathways, particularly the PhD as a route into academia, are no longer fit for purpose, with most researchers working beyond universities. The … Continue reading “Placecast Episode 16: Beyond Publications: Building Research Careers That Matter”
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”