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The latest news from Y-PERN
Building Data Pipelines in R: ONS Local Webinar Recap
On November 27th, Y-PERN Policy Fellow Dan Olner delivered an engaging webinar for ONS Local, attracting 120 participants interested in learning how to build efficient data pipelines using R. What Was Covered The session provided a comprehensive walkthrough of creating an end-to-end data pipeline in R, demonstrating how to: Webinar participants learned how to create … Read more
Case Study: Embedded Policy Fellow Dan Olner
Dan Olner is a Y-PERN Policy Fellow from the University of Sheffield who has been seconded into South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) to work alongside their officers. We asked Dan to provide details of his work over the past few years during Y-PERN and SYMCA’s collaboration for a case study and to reflect on … Read more
Youth Work’s Role in Democratic Education: New Webinar Explores Votes at 16 Implementation
A recent webinar hosted by Carole Pugh from York St John University and Charlee Bewsher from the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Youth Work Unit has explored the critical role of youth work in preparing young people for political citizenship as the roll out of Votes at 16 is developed. This one-off event was specifically designed … Read more
Policy Brief – York Hungry Minds: Evaluating Universal Free School Meal Initiatives
A collaborative team at the University of Sheffield and University of York and completed an evaluation of City of York Council’s (CYC) Universal Free School Meal (UFSM) pilot. This policy brief is co written by Y-PERN Policy Fellow Rebecca Kerr and Aniela Wenham, Katherine Smith, John Hudson,Eloise Tann, Louise Dye & Neil Boyle. Qualitative and … Read more
Y-PERN Report. Navigating Statutory Homelessness Support: Impacts of Asylum and Refugee Policy
When Protection Meets Destitution: Understanding Refugee Homelessness Written by Y-PERN Policy Fellow Pratichi Chaterjee and fellow University of Huddersfield colleague Professor of Housing and Communities Phil Brown. Homelessness among newly recognised refugees is accelerating at a rate that should alarm anyone working in housing, migration or local government. Our report explains why – and what … Read more
York and North Yorkshire Labour Market Analysis 2025
Y-PERN, working alongside York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority (YNYCA), has produced a detailed labour market analysis to inform regional economic priorities and strategic planning. The analysis demonstrates that productivity in York and North Yorkshire ranks among the highest in northern England. Unemployment rates remain below the national average, while business density surpasses the typical … Read more
Yorkshire Universities launches new strategy to champion Yorkshire
Powering Place Unlocking Potential Yorkshire Universities (YU), the representative body for universities and higher education institutions in Yorkshire, has published a new five-year strategy that will amplify regional strengths, unlock new investment and ideas, and strengthen partnership work to help drive benefits and positive impacts for people, places and business. The new YU 2025–2030 Strategy, Powering … Read more
Leeds Arts Animation graduate creates commissioned film for Y-PERN
This news item was first published on the Leeds Arts website. Recent BA (Hons) Animation and MA Animation graduate, Kieran Leppington, was commissioned by Y-PERN (Yorkshire and Humber Policy Engagement and Research Network), after winning a cross-institutional brief with the Careers, Employability and Enterprise team at Leeds Arts University, Leeds Beckett University, and the University of Leeds, to create an animation infographic that … Read more
Y-PERN 2025 Conference Highlights: Bridging Academia and Policymaking
The Yorkshire & Humber Policy Engagement and Research Network brought together 200 delegates at the University of Huddersfield for our most ambitious conference yet, showcasing how devolution is creating unprecedented opportunities for academic-policy collaboration across our region. Devolution: A Game-Changer for Yorkshire West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin opened the conference with a powerful message about … Read more
Devolution in Yorkshire and the Humber
Discover how regional governance is transforming through collaborative leadership and devolved powers. We are proud to present our explainer animated video on “the story of devolution”, a film about how devolution is transforming governance across Yorkshire and the Humber region. Animated by Leeds Arts University graduate, Kieran Leppington, the video perfectly illustrates how Yorkshire and … Read more
Y-PERN’s 2025 Impact Report
Three-year report reveals ground-breaking collaboration between universities and policymakers drives regional development Y-PERN’s 2025 Impact Report showcases three years of close collaboration between the region’s universities and policymakers that has transformed evidence-based decision-making across Yorkshire and the Humber. Since its inception in 2022, Y-PERN has established itself as a critical bridge between the region’s universities … Read more
Data to make South Yorkshire an even better place
This article was first published on the University of Sheffield’s website. University of Sheffield data scientist Dan Olner is part of the pioneering team working with Y-PERN (The Yorkshire & Humber Policy Engagement and Research Network), a partnership that links the worlds of academia and local government. Making South Yorkshire an even better place to … Read more
Boosting academic evidence in policymaking
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 … Read more
Hull and East Yorkshire Regional Report
The election of a new mayor for Hull and East Yorkshire, Luke Campbell, is an important moment for the region. Y-PERN and the University of Hull have a strong track record of working with East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Hull City Council, and the Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority. Both the University of Hull and Yorkshire Universities have underlined … Read more
Y-PERN 2025 Conference: Bridging Academia and Policymaking
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 … Read more
South Yorkshire Sub-Regional Report 2025
We proudly present our South-Yorkshire Sub-regional Report, a collaborative effort between Y-PERN, Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) and the University of Sheffield (UoS). Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) and the University of Sheffield (UoS) jointly host the South Yorkshire Y-PERN team. The SHU team operates from the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research (CRESR) and includes … Read more
Making sense of the busyness: Yorkshire & Humber networks for research-policy engagement
Following a Yorkshire & Humber Networks event in February at Doncaster Council, we are delighted to be able to share with you an interactive visual tool that helps articulate some of the region’s networks that are supporting research-policy engagement. The networks covered include: To view this tool in a larger format click here You can … Read more
Early Years Education and Childcare System in West Yorkshire Report
Y-PERN and West Yorkshire Combined Authority present a report on the early years and childcare system in West Yorkshire. Written by Y-PERN Policy Fellow Dr Tom Haines-Doran and a research team comprising of Karen Arzate Quintanilla, Dr Lilith Brouwers, Dr Jo Burgess, Dr Aimee Code, Dr Amy Creaser, Dr Erin Dysart, Dr Jack Simpson and … Read more
South Yorkshire Seminars Series: The region’s political and economic history
South Yorkshire’s past, present and future: what does the data say? Written by Dan Olner Dan Olner is a Policy Fellow for Y-PERN, South Yorkshire Mayoral Authority and Sheffield University Management School. Dan is an expert on economic and quantitative geography, data science, politics and international relations. The Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute (SPERI) at … Read more
Putting health at the heart of your local economy
This article was first published on the Yorkshire Universities website. The NHS Confederation recently hosted a webinar focused on the local growth agenda, the role of acute trusts, and how they can influence local leaders. Y-PERM Policy Director and Yorkshire Universities (YU) Executive Director, Dr Peter O’Brien, was invited to speak at the event to provide broad … Read more
Smaller and Specialist Universities Workshop
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 … Read more
The Y-PERN Year 2 Regional Report has landed
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 … Read more
Y-PERN hosts meeting of the Yorkshire and Humber Councils Policy Officer Network
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 … Read more
Y-PERN presents a Research Note to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire
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 … Read more
The Water Cultures Network Meeting
The Water Cultures Network was set up in 2023 As a joint initiative between Risky Cities, Living with Water (LWW) and the Yorkshire & Humber Policy Engagement and Research Network (Y-PERN). The aim of the Network is to build relationships to enable partnerships to work together and to be in place – in readiness to … Read more
The English Devolution White Paper
This article first appeared on the Yorkshire Universities website. The English Devolution White Paper features a series of policy proposals that are likely to have profound implications for the governance of local and regional development within England, and which will influence how and where the UK [Modern] Industrial Strategy is implemented over the coming years. The White Paper proposes … Read more
Hull Poverty Truth Commission Evaluation Report
University of Hull’s First Hull Poverty Truth Commission Evaluation Report has now been published. Written by Dr Gill Hughes and Y-PERN Policy Fellow Dr Juan Pablo Winter, the report discusses how the first Hull Poverty Truth Commission has inspired a major cultural shift to ensure that people who experience the impact of decisions should be … Read more
Communities Innovating Yorkshire Fund – launching soon
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 … Read more
Yorkshire Policy Innovation Partnership (YPIP) are recruiting local people to join their project Community Panel
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 … Read more
Strategic research partnership between University of Leeds and Leeds City Council set out in new framework
This blog was originally posted by Policy Leeds on Medium.com Photo by Leeds City Council. The University of Leeds and Leeds City Council have launched a new framework setting out how they will work together to mobilise the research expertise of the University to address the challenges faced by Leeds City Council and the city. … Read more
