A guide aimed at policy organisations who would like to develop Areas of Research Interest as a way to identify evidence needs and to support engagement with researchers.
Areas of Research Interest (ARI) are public expressions of research priorities and evidence needs. This guide, designed for policy organisation such as combined and local authorities, simplifies the ARI process, helping organisations navigate the steps involved with taking an ARI from ambition to action. It complements existing government guidance, drawing on a broader set of contexts and experiences from devolved nations, localities and regions. It also includes flexible and practical tools to support the process.
Within the guide you will find:
- The 7 steps to develop an ARI, from initial decision to institutionalisation
- Case studies from leading UK examples
- An ‘ARI canvas’ tool to support the process of ARI development
Sarah Chaytor, Director of Strategy & Policy at University College London & Co-Chair, Universities Policy Engagement Network, said:
“This guide offers a useful, accessible and actionable guide to developing Areas of Research Interest, which I am really delighted to see published. It brings together practical experience and learning from the work of CAPE and others on how ARIs can be deployed as an effective structure for academic-policy engagement. This is particularly useful in the context of continued changes to the public policy landscape and to the academic-policy ecosystem.”
This guide was written by CAPE Policy Fellows Max French and Melissa Hawkins from Northumbria University. It was developed following a pilot project to create Areas of Research Interest with the Nort East Combined Authority, interviews with combined authority staff and local councils trialling ARI, and reviews of public documentation. It is part of CAPE’s work to extend to extend Areas of Research beyond Government Departments.
