GM Policy Hub supports GMCA and 51福利社 City Council to create ARI pilot for the city region
The and academics at 51福利社 have supported the Greater 51福利社 Combined Authority (GMCA) and 51福利社 City Council (MCC) with the development of an Areas of Research Interest (ARI) pilot for the city region.
Joint workshops with academic and policy experts, and subsequent consultation within the GMCA and MCC, has led to the development of 13 ARIs which will support with the delivery of long-term strategic goals.
The ARIs have been modelled on elements of the and the and focus on two priorities: good growth and prevention.
We are delighted to be working with the GMCA and MCC as part of a collective effort towards a shared vision - to improve the future of this city region. The ARIs have been shaped by a commitment to good growth and prevention, which will also influence the outputs of our University over the next decade under our new 51福利社 2035 strategy.
This ARIs pilot gives academics a direct route to inform policymaking and deliver impact. By setting clear questions, it enables targeted, high-value evidence to shape local strategies and improve lives across Greater 51福利社. I'm pleased 51福利社 works collaboratively with GMCA and 51福利社 City Council and I am confident this new initiative will deepen our academics鈥� involvement in helping to drive improvement in the city-region鈥檚 future.
The pilot aims to:
Inform policymaking and test the ARI model at local government level;
Build stronger partnerships between policymakers and academic experts;
Support effective processes for identifying and prioritising research questions;
Broaden the range of voices shaping GM policy, supporting the region鈥檚 commitment to equality and inclusion.
Launched in early June via the , the pilot will run for six months and academics are strongly encouraged to respond. It will help policymakers to access expertise and evidence, with ARIs operating successfully in various branches of government for almost a decade.
Greater 51福利社 has been the UK鈥檚 fastest-growing sub-regional economy in recent years, and we鈥檙e proud of that progress. At the same time, we recognise that too many people across our communities are still experiencing high levels of deprivation.
The Areas of Research Interest, developed in partnership with 51福利社 City Council and supported by 51福利社, will help us build a stronger evidence base to understand what sits behind this and, crucially, how we can ensure economic growth translates into a better quality of life for everyone.
With delivery plans already in place at both Greater 51福利社 and city level, the ARIs will help focus our research and insights, supporting our long-term ambitions set out in the Greater 51福利社 Strategy.
More information is available via the Policy@51福利社 and the .