Areas of Research Interest for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority are being developed to better connect regional data, evidence and policy.
Work is underway to develop Areas of Research Interest (ARI) for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority that will enable the Combined Authority to draw upon the wide range of expertise within the region’s higher education institutions to inform regional policies and programmes that deliver real benefits for West Yorkshire.
Delivering for the region
The project will contribute directly to the delivery of the West Yorkshire Higher Education Compact agreed by universities in York and West Yorkshire, Yorkshire Universities (YU) and the Combined Authority, which was signed in October 2025. This partnership has committed to work together to stimulate inclusive economic growth, drive innovation and enhance social and environmental well-being. Part of this will be to address the complex challenges the region faces by supporting impactful place-based policy development informed by robust evidence and research.
Collectively, the region’s higher education institutions have a wealth of research expertise and excellence which could give insights into current challenges, inform responses and contribute to evaluating what is working for the region and what is not.
West Yorkshire Areas of Research Interest
ARIs are mechanisms through which public policy makers can share their knowledge needs and invite the research community to contribute. They were first introduced by UK Government Departments in response to the 2015 Nurse Review recommendations, that identified that there was a need to better connect policy makers to publicly funded research. They have since been adopted by UK and devolved Parliaments, devolved government, public bodies and regional and local government.
West Yorkshire is already leading the way with Leeds City Council being the first Local Authority to develop ARI in 2022. Since then, both Bradford City and Kirklees Council have also set out their ARI, meaning West Yorkshire now has the highest number of local authority ARI in the country.
The ARI for West Yorkshire Combined Authority will seek to build on and complement this local learning, and will focus at the sub-regional level to support the Combined Authority to access the evidence and expertise needed to deliver the missions set out in the West Yorkshire Plan.
Welcoming the news of the ARI project, Dr Peter O’Brien, Executive Director of Yorkshire Universities, said:
“This initiative is a further example of the strengthening partnership between the region’s universities and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, under the terms of the new HE Compact. By convening and deploying the distinct and complementary research and knowledge expertise within the HE sector, and connecting this to policymakers in the Combined Authority, there is a real opportunity to produce more effective policies and strategies that are designed to help create a more productive, prosperous and healthier West Yorkshire.”
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:
“Following our first-of-its kind partnership with West Yorkshire’s universities, this evidence-led approach will be vital in helping us build the transport, skills and business ecosystem we need to create jobs, boost growth, and put more money in people’s pockets.”
Meet the project team
The establishment of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority ARI is a collaborative effort between the Combined Authority and YU, with the support of partners. The work is being supported by three team members: Siân Reynolds and Amy Kinghorn from the Combined Authority, and Juliet Jopson, who has been seconded into YU from the University of Leeds. Siân and Amy will provide a connection to key teams within the Combined Authority and draw on their own delivery experience to ensure the ARI and processes supporting them are grounded in operational reality. Juliet will bring understanding of the academic research system and experience of working with Leeds City Council on their ARI.
Peter O’Brien from Yorkshire Universities and Jo Barham from West Yorkshire Combined Authority will provide oversight of the project. A project Steering Group will also be established. The Yorkshire Universities West Yorkshire Economic Development Board will provide a wider reference group for the work.
The project is being supported by the Research England policy support fund through the University of Leeds.
