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17
June
2026
|
12:10
Europe/London

GM Policy Hub supports GMCA and ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ City Council to create ARI pilot for the city region

The and academics at ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ have supported the Greater ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ Combined Authority (GMCA) and ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ City Council (MCC) with the development of an Areas of Research Interest (ARI) pilot for the city region.

Joint workshops with academic and policy experts, and subsequent consultation within the GMCA and MCC, has led to the development of 13 ARIs which will support with the delivery of long-term strategic goals.

The ARIs have been modelled on elements of the  and the  and focus on two priorities: good growth and prevention.

We are delighted to be working with the GMCA and MCC as part of a collective effort towards a shared vision - to improve the future of this city region. The ARIs have been shaped by a commitment to good growth and prevention, which will also influence the outputs of our University over the next decade under our new ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ 2035 strategy.
 
 

Professor John Holden, Vice-President for Civic Engagement and Innovation at ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ

This ARIs pilot gives academics a direct route to inform policymaking and deliver impact. By setting clear questions, it enables targeted, high-value evidence to shape local strategies and improve lives across Greater ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ. I'm pleased ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ works collaboratively with GMCA and ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ City Council and I am confident this new initiative will deepen our academics’ involvement in helping to drive improvement in the city-region’s future.

Professor Colette Fagan, Vice-President for Research

The pilot aims to:

  • Inform policymaking and test the ARI model at local government level;

  • Build stronger partnerships between policymakers and academic experts;

  • Support effective processes for identifying and prioritising research questions;

  • Broaden the range of voices shaping GM policy, supporting the region’s commitment to equality and inclusion.

Launched in early June via the , the pilot will run for six months and academics are strongly encouraged to respond. It will help policymakers to access expertise and evidence, with ARIs operating successfully in various branches of government for almost a decade.

Greater ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ has been the UK’s fastest-growing sub-regional economy in recent years, and we’re proud of that progress. At the same time, we recognise that too many people across our communities are still experiencing high levels of deprivation. 

The Areas of Research Interest, developed in partnership with ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ City Council and supported by ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ, will help us build a stronger evidence base to understand what sits behind this and, crucially, how we can ensure economic growth translates into a better quality of life for everyone.

With delivery plans already in place at both Greater ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ and city level, the ARIs will help focus our research and insights, supporting our long-term ambitions set out in the Greater ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ Strategy.

John Wrathmell, Group Director of Strategy at the Greater ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ Combined Authority

More information is available via the Policy@ ºÚÁÏÍø³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ and the .

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