North Yorkshire

Boosting academic evidence in policymaking 

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A £5.9 million fund has been awarded to universities in Yorkshire and the Humber, which jointly co-lead a national network aimed at enhancing place-based academic policy engagement. 

The £5.9 million award to Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN) provides a fantastic opportunity to draw out Y-PERN’s valuable learnings in co-production with UPEN on matters such as the diverse role a policy fellow plays, and the unique contributions of each individual university. 

UPEN provides a platform for decision-makers to access relevant academic research as they seek to improve services for the public. That work can now be scaled up following a £5 million award by Research England to ten UPEN universities across the UK. 

The investment will see UPEN evolve from a voluntary network into a sustainable organisation that connects policymakers with researchers from more than 110 university members. 

The funding is supported by an additional £582,000 from UK Research and Innovation and £300,000 from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). 

Professor Andrew Brown, Y-PERN Academic Director and Professor of Economics and Political Economy at Leeds University Business School, is one of three UPEN co-chairs.  

Professor Brown said: 

“The new UPEN investment will be another vital step in facilitating the use of academic research capacity for policy across the UK. I am particularly pleased that it builds on the network approach pioneered at a regional scale by Y-PERN.” 

Members of the UPEN National Executive Committee also include Kayleigh Renberg-Fawcett, Senior Programme Manager at Y-PERN and Dr Andy Mycock, Y-PERN Chief Policy Fellow. 

With a renewed government focus on an evidence-based approach, UPEN will unite the research and innovation ecosystem 

Professor Nick Plant, University of Leeds 

Over the next four years, UPEN will undertake a programme of work including: 

  • Improving UK universities’ ability to engage with policy organisations and policymakers. 
  • Supporting place-based policymaking by strengthening engagement between universities, regional and local policy organisations. 
  • Embedding citizen engagement and community-driven approaches to policymaking. 
  • Creating more sustainable and resilient engagement models.  

Professor Dame Jessica Corner, Executive Chair of Research England, said: “The need for reliable evidence which can inform public debate, and policy has never been greater.  

“With increasing pressure on public finances, it is also vital that local and central governments can be confident that their policy interventions will be effective and successful – and academic expertise has a crucial role to play in that process.”   

Professor Nick Plant, Pro-Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation at the University of Leeds, said: “This funding will further support our community of researchers to work with policymakers to generate the evidence base required to address the complex challenges facing society today. 

“With a renewed government focus on an evidence-based approach, UPEN will unite the research and innovation ecosystem, offering a wealth of academic insight and experience to inform policy decisions and improve outcomes.” 

The investment sees the Universities of Birmingham, Leeds, Cambridge, Durham, Huddersfield, UCL, Nottingham Trent, Southampton, Teesside, Insights North-East and the Wales Centre for Public Policy at Cardiff University all working collaboratively to strengthen evidence-informed policymaking. 

UPEN will also work with the Institute for Community Studies, the Institute for Government and Yorkshire Universities. The organisation will bring together our Yorkshire and Humber regional networks, including  Yorkshire Policy and Innovation Partnership (Y-PIP) and The NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Yorkshire and Humber. 

We hope that together, we will draw upon our collective experiences to strengthen engagement between academic institutions and policymakers, ensuring that evidence shapes effective public policies. 

UPEN is a UK-wide network of organisations who support evidence use in public policymaking. It provides an interface between universities and local, regional, and national policy organisations. It is hosted by UCL within UCL Public Policy, and co-chaired by Sarah Chaytor, Director of Policy and Strategy at UCL, Andrew Brown, Professor of Economics and Political Economy at the University of Leeds and Chris Hewson, Head of Policy Engagement at the University of Huddersfield.  

For UPEN enquiries, contact hello@upen.ac.uk 

Y-PERN 2025 Conference: Bridging Academia and Policymaking

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Register now for your ticket for the Y-PERN 2025 Conference on June 27th at the Oastler Building in Huddersfield!

We invite scholars, policymakers, and community leaders to engage in vital discussions surrounding academic-policy collaboration aimed at regional development.

The conference will bring together leading academics, policymakers, and practitioners to explore innovative approaches to incorporating academic academic research into impactful policies. With confirmed speakers including Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, and Robin Tuddenham, Chief Executive of Calderdale Council and President of Solace, the day will include stimulating panel discussions, insightful case studies, and interactive sessions aimed at fostering meaningful dialogue and collaboration. These activities will help us explore ways to achieve multi-level growth, promoting fairer, greener, and more inclusive futures.

The conference will begin at 9 AM with a welcome session led by Professor Tim Thornton, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Huddersfield. Our guest speakers will include Kersten England, Chief Executive Officer of the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council; Harpreet Uppal, Member of Parliament for Huddersfield; and Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire.

The agenda includes engaging discussions on the evolving relationship between universities and policymakers, showcasing the impact of the Yorkshire and Humber Policy Engagement and Research Network (Y-PERN). Participants will explore Y-PERN network’s collaborative approach, engage in interactive breakout sessions which tackle key regional policy challenges, and will be invited to share ideas for future growth strategies. Themes will include early years education, community inclusion, business support, and housing solutions.

A pivotal focus will be placed on the evolving dynamics of university-policy engagement within the context of a rapidly changing policy landscape. Participants will examine how such collaborations can effectively respond to emerging opportunities and challenges.

The 2025 conference will serve as an important platform for networking among influential speakers, researchers, and organisations committed to fostering effective policymaking. The discussions at the conference are expected to yield insights into practical, evidence-based policy frameworks that can facilitate multi-level growth. By harnessing collaborative efforts, the aim is to create more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient communities across Yorkshire and the Humber.

To view the full agenda and to register for your free ticket, please visit our Eventbrite page.

The event is being delivered by Y-PERN with support from the team at Social. If you have any questions or require further information, please email them on ypern@social.co.uk.

Smaller and Specialist Universities Workshop

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On Tuesday 18th February, leaders and representatives from Y-PERNs smaller and specialist universities met at Leeds Conservatoire to explore the specific challenges and opportunities they faced in undertaking academic policy engagement. Participants from Leeds Arts University, Leeds Conservatoire, Leeds Trinity University, and York St John University discussed how Y-PERN can best build capacity, resources, and activities that provide value to them and the wider Y-PERN network while enhancing their unique role and contribution.

It was noted that there was widespread appreciation amongst smaller and specialist universities for their shared association of Y-PERN and feeling part of a network that larger universities sit within. There was though a divide between larger Y-PERN institutions that measure impact of policy and our specialist and smaller universities who focused predominantly on developing graduate skills, retention and employability and also professional practitioner expertise through teaching and research.

Participants highlighted that the extensive expertise of smaller and specialist universities is not always research focused, so can sometimes be more difficult to identify and value in more typical forms of academic policy engagement. This expertise is however deeply valued by policy partners and can inform evidence-based policymaking as impactfully as more traditional research policy collaboration and knowledge mobilisation.

For example, Leeds Conservatoire have invested considerable time in curating and maintaining practitioner-based networks such as the West Yorkshire Music Network which evidence the impact of expertise-led policy engagement working with broad range of policy, public sector, business, voluntary organisations, charities, and community groups associated with arts, heritage, and culture. However, there was a need to enhance the resonance of creative and cultural economy and better integrate with other areas of social and economic policy such as health, transport, crime, and local growth.

The workshop also explored issues of resource and capacities associated with smaller and specialist universities. It was noted that there are many factors to consider, such as staff time, budgets, and the organisational structuring (with some of our universities not having specific research or knowledge exchange capacity). It was noted that what resources are available must be focused on areas of activity that promote student recruitment and the distinctive areas of research which connect to teaching and practice-based professional development. There was as such a need to adopt a more agile and adaptable approach to support smaller and specialist universities that appreciates such challenges and reflected their diversity of key interests.

One key area identified which was seen as delivering value and impact to Y-PERN’s smaller and specialist universities is the training of academic and professional staff to better engage in its work. Y-PERN and its partner universities have hosted a range of training activities and events. It was acknowledged however that there was a need to scale up training activities to develop expertise as this would allow for more opportunities to undertake policy engagement to be realised.

Colleagues from York St John University noted that the York Policy Engine had provided several opportunities including two members of staff participating in York Policy Academy programme at the University of York and other training initiatives. Participants encouraged other larger Y-PERN universities to support smaller and specialist universities in similar ways to support extended peer-to-peer learning across the network, with larger universities representing the interests of smaller and specialist universities in conversations they are not present at.

The workshop participants also discussed how to work more closely with Y-PERN’s Policy Fellows to enhance the resonance and impact of expertise and network building provided by smaller and specialist universities. It was noted that they could play a key role in the developing of Areas of Research Interest (ARIs) and multi-partner communities of practice at a local and regional level, both in shaping existing policy areas and in developing creative and cultural ARIs. They also considered how they might develop staff exchanges and secondments to policy units within the larger universities and with local and combined authorities.

The workshop concluded by identifying several proposals to draw on and address some of the key issues discussed. A short report for publication will be produced from the workshop and Y-PERN will report findings back to relevant stakeholders with recommendations for future policy engagement collaborations with our smaller and specialist universities.

The Y-PERN Year 2 Regional Report has landed

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The team at Y-PERN are pleased to present our Year 2 Regional Report.

The report, which summarises Y-PERN’s activity to date, reflects on what we have learnt about our impact and value, how Yorkshire and the Humber is leading the way in regional academic policy engagement and discusses how Universities can support multi-level governance for inclusive and sustainable growth.

The Y-PERN report evidences in detail how Yorkshire and the Humber is leading the way in regional academic policy engagement, and suggests how Universities can support multi-level governance for inclusive and sustainable growth.
Let us continue to work together across the region for the benefit of the places we live in, work in & call home.

- Andrew Brown, Y-PERN Academic Director, Kersten England CBE, Y-PERN Engagement Director & Peter O’Brien, Y-PERN Policy Director

In the report, you’ll discover:

  • Activities and impacts from the Yorkshire sub-regions including:

o   How Y-PERN synthesized ten projects related to early years education and childcare to help shape West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s economic strategy and local growth plan

o   How Y-PERN’s academic insights on the region’s economic history and recent economic growth areas have fed into South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s Skills Strategy and Plan for Good Growth

  •  How Y-PERN is working to connect and our region’s policy makers, researchers and community organisations
  •  Emergent findings on local governance issues with Yorkshire and Humber being a ‘live laboratory’ for regional devolution
  • Strategical next steps for Y-PERN and the future of regional policy engagement

Discover how Y-PERN is transforming the way university academics and knowledge exchange experts work with policy partners across the region in our Y-PERN Year 2 Regional Report

Y-PERN hosts meeting of the Yorkshire and Humber Councils Policy Officer Network

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Y-PERN hosted a meeting of the newly reconvened Yorkshire and Humber Councils Policy Officer Network (YHCPON) at the Cloth Hall Court in Leeds in January 2025. The meeting brought together local and combined authority policy and strategy officers from across the Yorkshire and Humber Councils network to discuss a range of issues.

The meeting was led by Professor Kersten England, the Y-PERN Director of Engagement, and Paul Hayes, Senior Policy Fellow based at the Leeds University Business School, who both have considerable experience of working across local government in the region. Topics discussed include how the group should work, what the most useful issues are to focus on, and how universities can support them.

Participants agreed on the value and appetite to develop the work of the Policy Officer Network to build relationships, collaborations, and shared understanding across the local and combined authority policy officer community of the Yorkshire and Humber region.

There was agreement that the network should focus on the more significant policy issues and broader trends at a local, regional, and national level, providing ‘headspace’ to explore opportunities to identify and implement systematic transformational change.

A key aim was to facilitate smarter working through sharing and agreeing priorities and explore how local and combined authorities might better engage with academics and access research. The challenge of navigating diverse local and combined government was signposted as important, as was engaging early career policy officers with academic researchers.

Key Outcomes:

  • Discussions about the importance of place as a key lens to focus activities for the network were had, particularly as a Yorkshire and Humber regional or mayoral combined authority scale is not always the most appropriate to consider policy issues. Merging research with context and circumstances of place is thus important, as is consideration for research and policy transfer and scaling.
  • Place was also seen as important to understand better the local and regional intelligence and data landscape.
  • The network also stressed a keenness to better connect local and combined authorities with bodies such as the National Institute for Health Research ‘Health Determinants Research Collaborations’ with those without to develop shared understanding of their place-based working approaches.

  • A presentation on the English Devolution White Paper, published in December 2024, was also provided by Y-PERN Policy Fellow, Neil Barnett (Leeds Beckett University), who outlined some of its challenges and opportunities. Subsequent discussions about devolution indicated that plans for local government reorganisation (outlined in the White Paper) would not impact on the region as there were now four combined authorities already in existence – which will now be called strategic authorities. Some concerns were expressed, however, about a potential ‘power drain’ if local government is increasingly seen by central government as a ‘delivery agent’ of combined authorities with little agency for local policy initiatives.
  • There was a shared desire to develop shared oversight and understanding of regional and sub-regional interactions with the UK government to build a collective Yorkshire Humber voice with the government and relevant departments and agencies. It was noted that the White Paper opens space for the regional policy communities to enhance joined-up and wider determinants policy work and collectively determine (and innovate) in shaping local and regional evaluation and outcomes frameworks, measuring and valuing things in ways which are reflective and sensitive local, place-based contexts and needs. Participants noted that better connect emergent Local Growth Plans across the region could be a valuable tool in this facilitating this work.

Policy Officers noted that the region’s universities were seen as key to facilitating collaboration through Y-PERN, YPIP, the Yorkshire and Humber National Institute for Health Research Applied Research Consortium (particularly the region’s four Health Determinants’ Research Collaborations) and the wider Yorkshire Universities in supporting place-based engagement and policymaking.

Ongoing work on local and combined authority Areas of Research Interest was identified as potentially significant in establishing policy-themed ‘communities of practice’ across the region to support collaboration, policy transfer and scaling.

Several participants noted however, that it was also important to open up spaces to consider how to strengthen community engagement, voice and agency in both widening and deepening devolution, and shaping evaluation and outcomes criteria. The potential role of YPIP in this work was identified as significant.

The meeting concluded with agreement that YHCPON should meet regularly, with future meetings focusing on issues such how to build ‘communities of practice’ linked to identified policy areas, the better circulation of information about research and policy, how can universities enhance engagement with non-university local authorities, and how can ‘best practice’ be transferred between local authorities and combined authorities.

Y-PERN presents a Research Note to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire

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Y-PERN recently presented a brief research note to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire on the challenges and opportunities presented for the region by the recently published UK Government English Devolution White Paper. The APPG brings MPs and Peers of all parties together with key leaders – those in local and combined authority government, public and private sectors and social enterprises – to help maximise future investment in the region for the benefit of all local communities and economies. Secretariat support for the APPG is provided The Public Affairs Company and North Star Public Affairs.

Y-PERN Policy Fellows, Dr Neil Barnett (Leeds Beckett University) and Dr Andy Mycock (University of Leeds) drew on recent research evidence from an ongoing devolution project which is being co-delivered with Yorkshire Universities and Yorkshire and Humber Councils.

The Research Note highlighted that the English Devolution White Paper draws attention to the challenge of aligning formal and informal levels of government and policymaking. There is a need to align existing strategies from local authorities alongside those outlined by the region’s combined authority local growth plans. There also needs to be wider strategy across the region. The White Paper also raised questions as to where local authorities fit amongst increased powers for combined authorities. The lack of funding for local authorities may increase tensions between these two levels of government.

Combined authorities also need to have the resources in order to carry out these new powers as well as implement plans from local authorities. It was noted that some government departments have not been involved as much as they should in the development of the Devolution White Paper, in particular DEFRA and DWP. Some policies from the previous Levelling Up agenda have also been moved to the peripheries. The Research Note also drew attention to the shift towards combined authorities on local democracy, particularly local councillors who may experience a power drain as local authorities become primarily delivery agents.

During his presentation of the Research Note to the APPG, Dr Andy Mycock stressed that there is a considerable role that the APPG can play in utilising their connections with government ministers and civil servants as well as connecting the Yorkshire and Humber voice and projecting it onto various levels of local and national government. He went on to argue there is a need to consider the opportunities presented in the White Paper, making sure that the success of devolution is set by local MPs, not the Government. He also noted that devolution will play a pivotal role in setting future policy agendas, and that the APPG has a role in both its deepening and widening as outlined in the White Paper.

Y-PERN and its partners will continue to support and collaborate the APPG in the new parliament, exploring opportunities to provide a strong, unified voice to drive economic growth across the region and are looking to work alongside our external members and to develop policy proposals that can be put to the Government that would support economic growth.

You can read the Research Note here >

Communities Innovating Yorkshire Fund – launching soon

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The £800k ‘Communities Innovating Yorkshire Fund’ will launch on 3 February 2025. This fund will be an opportunity for additional innovative emerging projects, studies, activities, and ideas that reflect the Yorkshire Policy Innovation Partnership’s (YPIP) focus on accelerating community-led inclusive and sustainable growth. 

Y-PERN and YPIP are enhancing collaboration between university academics and policymakers in Yorkshire and the Humber to develop evidence-based policies that benefit local communities. With £4 million in funding, Y-PERN connects policymakers and academics through a network including 11 policy fellows and an academic steering group. YPIP has secured £5 million in funding to build on Y-PERN’s efforts, creating a Local Innovation Partnership that involves all Yorkshire universities and addresses inclusive growth, sustainable living, and data analytics, with a focus on marginalized communities.

Projects must align with one of the 5 YPIP themes:

  • Data informatics 
  • Inclusive business practices  
  • Creative industries
  • Sustainable living 
  • Communities in their places. 

Projects must bring together a collaboration of different stakeholders through meaningful community engagement. Proposals will be submitted via an online application form and assessed against 5 criteria by a decision panel which will include Co-directors, Co-Investigators and members of the community panel.

There will be two funding pathways to be inclusive of grassroot and larger scale community organisations to demonstrate their innovative ideas: seedcorn projects of up to £10k, and larger projects of up to £50k. The spending deadline for funded projects is expected to be autumn 2026.

Watch this space for further updates on the fund, and please do give a heads up to partners who are working across our themes in the region. 

Contact ypip@leeds.ac.uk for queries. 

Yorkshire Policy Innovation Partnership (YPIP) are recruiting local people to join their project Community Panel

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Do you have ideas about how to improve your community? Would you like to see better jobs in your area or find ways to live in a greener way?

The Yorkshire Policy Innovation Partnership (YPIP) project brings universities, communities, voluntary organisations, businesses and councils together to work on place-based initiatives.

Y-PERN and YPIP are enhancing collaboration between university academics and policymakers in Yorkshire and the Humber to develop evidence-based policies that benefit local communities. With £4 million in funding, Y-PERN connects policymakers and academics through a network including 11 policy fellows and an academic steering group. YPIP has secured £5 million in funding to build on Y-PERN’s efforts, creating a Local Innovation Partnership that involves all Yorkshire universities and addresses inclusive growth, sustainable living, and data analytics, with a focus on marginalized communities.

At the heart of the YPIP project is a community panel where we will listen, learn and make decisions together to shape local and regional policy. If this sounds interesting, we would love to hear from you.

The aim is to ensure that local people have an equal say in improving their communities and bringing better employment, sustainable living and inclusive growth to their areas.

The community panel is a group of 24 people from across Yorkshire and from all walks of life. It will make decisions about how the project runs and how we can improve our communities by agreeing on good practice examples of living and working sustainably in our communities.

Panel members will receive training and support with quarterly meetings throughout the project. Panel members will be paid a fee of £15 an hour for their time and their expenses will be reimbursed

Find out more about the person and role specification, and express your interest in joining the panel by contacting Ben Jessop b.jessop@hull.ac.uk

Y-PERN: Place-based policy that is grounded in evidence, developed in partnership

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Y-PERN is transforming the way academic researchers and knowledge exchange experts in the 12 Yorkshire and Humber universities work in partnership with policymakers in the region.

The deepening of devolution across our region presents a unique opportunity to co-create evidence based policies that bring real benefits to communities.

Take a look at Y-PERN’s 4-page summary to find out what we’re doing, where and how.

Report heralds ‘New Era for Female Entrepreneurship’ in North Yorkshire

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Despite facing unique challenges, female entrepreneurs are at the forefront of creating innovative solutions and spearheading sustainable development in York and North Yorkshire – according to the findings of a new report.

The report was a collaboration between Enterprise Works at the University of York, Federation of Small Businesses, Y-PERN (Yorkshire and Humber Policy Engagement and Research Network) and mnAi.

Professor Kiran Trehan, PVC for Enterprise, Partnerships and Engagement at the University of York and member of the Y-PERN Directorate, comments:

“We have reached a tipping point, where governments, business support organisations and female entrepreneurs themselves realise the enormous value of female enterprise to the regional and national economy. It is vital for the future success of the region that we have a clear, data-driven understanding of the needs of this community, to ensure that we maximise our, and their, chances of success and drive inclusive growth for all.”

A unique set of challenges

Female entrepreneurs face a set of key challenges and systemic and structural barriers that are adversely impacting their businesses. There are 23,562 fewer self-employed women than men in YNY, with men nearly twice as likely to be self-employed. According to mnAi data, in YNY, only £62k of equity was raised by female-led organisations, compared to £3.8m male-led organisations and £1.8m by those led by a mix of genders.

The report team therefore set out to investigate the myriad factors influencing female entrepreneurship, including the barriers they face, potential policy solutions and in upholding ecosystems that support their success.

Research informed by participant engagement

The team undertook fieldwork including community consultations that took the form of focus groups with female entrepreneurs; a survey with a specific focus on place-based challenges; and a participatory workshop focused on the core challenges.

Dr Rebecca Kerr, Y-PERN Policy Fellow based at the University of York and York St John University, was involved in the report and the design and delivery of the workshop. She comments:

“Research in this area generally exists at a national scale, but there’s clear demand for more place-based evidence which can inform sub-regional policy – as shown by the positive and enthused engagement from some of our region’s female entrepreneurs at the workshop we held at York’s historic Guildhall.

“Throughout the workshop, women noted that they wanted support and mentorship from other women in business. This sentiment was placed to the heart of this research undertaken, where each stage of research design was informed by participant engagement to ensure we were asking the right questions and collecting the most appropriate data.”

A roadmap to inclusive growth

The report outlines seven priority areas to better support existing and future female entrepreneurs across the region, including:

  1. Struggling with confidence
  2. Difficult pathways to self-employment
  3. Understanding and access to finance
  4. Understanding and investing in customer acquisition, retention and pricing
  5. Quality and availability of various forms of local infrastructure
  6. Quality and availability of mentorship
  7. Managing business administration


Ultimately, the report seeks to serve as a catalyst for change and present the foundation for a roadmap to more inclusive and prosperous growth across the region – with the recently installed York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority (YNYCA) well placed to action the policy interventions highlighted. Indeed, Dr Kerr and members of the Y-PERN team worked closely with the YNYCA transition team and continue to do so, on issues such as inclusive growth, community engagement, education and poverty. Some of these themes will be explored further as Y-PERN’s flagship project YPIP (Yorkshire and Humber Policy Innovation Partnership) gets underway, which is engaging directly with community groups and aiming to create an Inclusive Business Network to drive inclusive growth across Yorkshire and the Humber. 

Professor Trehan concludes: “We look forward to continuing our support for female entrepreneurs and fostering an inclusive entrepreneurial landscape where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.”

You can read the summary report here: New Era for Female entrepreneurship in York and North Yorkshire -Summary Report.pdf

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