Leeds City Council (LCC) was the first local authority in the UK to develop Areas of Research Interest (ARI), building on the example of national government departments. Through ongoing support and research funding, the University of Leeds has helped address the questions set out in the ARI – and set a national standard for how academic institutions and the local policy community can work together to address the challenges facing UK cities.
This report evaluates if ARI work in a local government context, and the value of the ARI approach for the council. Drawing on evidence from 15 projects, interviews and a workshop, some of the report’s key findings include:
• ARI have helped LCC access high quality, timely research and develop a strategic and coordinated space to consider their evidence needs.
• The ARI have provided clarity and transparency on the LCC’s research priorities, helping them build strategic connections and convene expertise from across different sectors.
• Although valuable to LCC colleagues, ARI projects were seen as long-term strategic investments and weren’t linked to immediate pressures. This reduced the impetus to follow up on findings.
Learn more about how ARI have supported a changing culture, the value of institutional capacity, resource needs and more in the evaluation report. Download now.
Related resources
Report: A review of ‘Areas of Research Interest’ (ARIs) as a mechanism for research-policy engagement
