Blog Post Research and Impact What does it take to lead an evidence intermediary organisation? Professor Steve Martin, Director of the Wales Centre for Public Policy for the centre’s first ten years, sheds some early light on his research into what it takes to lead these organisations – and how this learning could be used to help future leaders of academic-policy engagement initiatives. There is growing recognition of the key […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods The role of KBOs December 16, 2024
News Research and Impact Steve Martin retires as WCPP Director: “The Centre is in good hands” Professor Steve Martin will be stepping down as Director of the Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) at the end of November after more than a decade at its helm, with current Acting Director, Professor James Downe continuing in that role until Steve’s permanent successor is appointed. Steve will continue to support the Centre in […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods The role of KBOs October 9, 2024
Blog Post Research and Impact Understanding impact across the UK's What Works Network All What Works Centres (WWCs) aim to have impact by getting evidence into policy and/or practice. However, because every Centre has different aims, practices, audiences, funding models, staffing levels and size, their understanding of impact, and how they measure and communicate their impact, can differ. Our preliminary research based on interviews with WWCs and their […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods The role of KBOs October 7, 2024
Project Research and Impact WCPP ESRC Policy Fellowship – Involving experts-by-experience in knowledge mobilisation Since November 2023, the ESRC has funded a Policy Fellow to be seconded to the Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) to enhance the understanding, capabilities, and skills of knowledge brokering organisations in involving people with lived experience in our work. The Fellowship is an 18-month collaboration between the Fellow (Dr Rounaq Nayak), WCPP, and […] Read more Topics: Lived experience Promoting Equality Research and Impact: The role of KBOs August 13, 2024
Blog Post Research and Impact What has devolution delivered for Wales? The day after marking its 25th birthday, the Welsh Senedd voted to increase its size by more than 50%. In 2026 the Welsh public will therefore elect 96 members in place of the current 60. Advocates of this change hailed it as a historic investment in democracy which reflected the significant strengthening of the Senedd’s […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Impact May 24, 2024
Blog Post Research and Impact How to improve regional productivity levers in England and Wales How to improve regional productivity levers in England and Wales As winners of the 2024 Award for the Best Paper published in Regional Studies Policy Debates, Helen Tilley, Jack Newman, Charlotte Hoole, Andrew Connell, and Ananya Mukherjee discuss the winning paper. They argue that UK regions lack the policy levers they need to improve productivity […] Read more Topics: Economy Research and Impact: Methods April 17, 2024
Report Tackling Inequalities Research and Impact Lived experience evidence in disability policy making Welsh Government is committed to including lived experience evidence in policymaking wherever possible. This commitment was reinforced in disability policymaking following the publication of the in 2021. This report – published in both a plain language and easy read format - considers the role of lived experience evidence and co-production in disability policymaking in Wales […] Read more Topics: Diversity and inclusion Lived experience Research and Impact: PhD Interns March 7, 2024
Blog Post Research and Impact Q and A with Kathryn Williams, PhD intern We caught up with Kathryn Williams who has recently spent three months as a PhD intern with WCPP. Kathryn is an ESRC funded PhD student in the School of Social Science at Cardiff University. 1. Overall, how have you found your time at the Centre? I have enjoyed working in the Centre and have been […] Read more Research and Impact: PhD Interns March 7, 2024
News Research and Impact WCPP confirms commitment to tackling key policy challenges facing Wales The Wales Centre for Public Policy has confirmed its commitment to supporting Wales’ public services to tackle three key policy challenges: Tackling Inequalities Environment and net zero Community Wellbeing To mark its tenth anniversary and the start of a new, five-year funding period, the WCPP has published ‘WCPP at 10’ which details some of the […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods December 11, 2023
News Research and Impact A new 12-month role for Steve Martin Over the next 12 months our Director, Professor Steve Martin, will take a step back from day-to-day leadership of the WCPP to enable him to work with colleagues to advance understanding of successful approaches to supporting evidence-informed policy making. With the support of our funders - the Welsh Government, ESRC and Cardiff University - Steve […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods The role of KBOs November 17, 2023
Report Research and Impact Is your policy going to fail? Here’s how you can tell and what you can do about it Policies often fail to achieve their intentions. While much has been written about this, and how to avoid it, knowledge and insight is somewhat siloed. In collaboration with the Centre for Evidence and Implementation, we undertook a review to understand the latest thinking on the policy-implementation gap and identify how insights from implementation science can […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods and Approaches November 13, 2023
Blog Post Tackling Inequalities Research and Impact A Revolution by Stealth? Basic Income Experiments Proliferate In this guest blog on basic income, Professor Guy Standing looks at the growing number of basic income trials and pilots around the world, and the evidence gained from them. At the moment, pioneered by the First Minister, Mark Drakeford, the Welsh Government is piloting a basic income for all those leaving care at age […] Read more Topics: Economy Poverty and social exclusion Research and Impact: Methods July 19, 2023
News Environment and Net Zero Research and Impact WCPP to support Wales Net Zero 2035 Challenge Group The Wales Centre for Public Policy will support the work of the new Wales Net Zero 2035 Challenge Group, bringing together evidence and expertise to explore how Wales can speed up its transition to net zero. The Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru have jointly invited an independent group, chaired by former Environment Minister Jane Davidson, […] Read more Topics: Net Zero Research and Impact: The role of KBOs April 27, 2023
News Research and Impact Wales Centre for Public Policy awarded funding to study the impact of the What Works Network The Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) has been awarded ESRC funding to continue examining and developing the impact of the What Works Network. The project will focus on two key aspects of WCPP’s work: implementation and impact. This will involve analysing how these markers of success look to WWC’s stakeholders and how other organisations […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods The role of KBOs April 4, 2023
Project Research and Impact Examining the Impact of the What Works Network The Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) has been awarded ESRC funding to continue examining and developing the impact of the What Works Network. This work builds on previous Centre projects such as on implementation and on impact. This new project focuses on the following research questions: What counts as impact and what are the […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact The role of KBOs April 4, 2023
Report Research and Impact What counts as evidence for policy? During the Covid-19 pandemic, the refrain of ‘following the science’ became commonplace. But what is meant by evidence can vary according to who is asked, the context, and other factors. We conducted research to analyse the perceptions of Welsh policy actors towards evidence. These perceptions matter because they will impact why evidence is used or […] Read more Research and Impact: The role of KBOs January 26, 2023
News Research and Impact The Wales Centre for Public Policy receives £9 million investment to support its on-going work in tackling major policy challenges We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded £9 million over the next five years to continue our work providing policy makers and public service leaders in Wales with authoritative independent evidence that helps improve policy making and delivery. We are funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, Welsh Government and Cardiff […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods The role of KBOs November 29, 2022
Blog Post Research and Impact Understanding organisations that provide evidence for policy This blog post is based on the Evidence & Policy article, ‘Knowledge brokering organisations: a new way of governing evidence’. New organisations have emerged in different countries to help inform policymaking. Different from think tanks and academic research centres, these Knowledge Brokering Organisations (KBOs) attempt to influence policy by mobilising evidence. Our research examines how […] Read more Research and Impact: The role of KBOs November 1, 2022
Blog Post Research and Impact National Milestones – Using evidence and expertise to tell a ‘status story’ The ‘second wave’ of Welsh Government consultation on its National Milestones ended last month. The Milestones relate to a set of National Indicators, articulated under the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, which enable the measurement of progress towards the seven Well-being Goals for Wales. These National Milestones deliberately align with milestones operating at […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods October 25, 2022
Blog Post Research and Impact Taking stock of our Research Apprentice scheme The Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) introduced the Research Apprenticeship scheme in 2017. The scheme aims to build the capacity of early-career researchers to engage with policymakers and public services to respond to key challenges in Wales. It has attracted hundreds of applications annually from excellent candidates who wish to gain first-hand experience of […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods PhD Internships October 6, 2022
Blog Post Tackling Inequalities Research and Impact A matter of costs For decades, poverty has been measured by a household’s income relative to that of others. Although adjustments are made for housing costs and household size, the key metric is the amount of cash coming into a household. Public policy on poverty has followed this focus on household incomes. At UK level, the key levers for […] Read more Topics: Economy Research and Impact: Methods September 27, 2022
Blog Post Tackling Inequalities Research and Impact What makes for an effective anti-poverty strategy? The lack of an anti-poverty strategy did not stop the Welsh Government from taking action during the pandemic to address poverty in Wales. From the provision of money, vouchers or packed lunches during the school holidays to children entitled to free school meals, to allowing eligible families to claim a pupil development grant every year […] Read more Topics: Poverty and social exclusion Research and Impact: Methods September 26, 2022
Blog Post Research and Impact Has devolution delivered? The last 25 years have seen a significant and sustained increase in public support for devolution in Wales. The 1997 referendum produced only a wafer thin majority in favour of creating a Welsh Assembly. Now fewer than 1 in 5 of the adult population say that they would vote to reverse that decision, whilst a […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Impact September 23, 2022
Blog Post Community Wellbeing Research and Impact Integrating wellbeing objectives into long-term infrastructure planning Integrating wellbeing objectives into long-term infrastructure planning is a necessary condition for ensuring the Wellbeing of Future Generations. From empowering citizens to make decisions affecting their local communities to creating new jobs and building resilience to social, economic, and environmental shocks, public infrastructure helps attract businesses and determines the productive capacity of communities and nations. […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods Other/developing local evidence use infrastructure May 26, 2022
Blog Post Community Wellbeing Environment and Net Zero Research and Impact Infrastructure and Wellbeing in Wales Transport infrastructure and wellbeing objectives Transport infrastructure is most directly relevant to the following of the Welsh Government’s ‘wellbeing objectives’(Wellbeing of Wales: 2021 | GOV.WALES ) for 2021-2026: Providing effective, high quality and sustainable healthcare – by prioritising and ensuring fast, convenient, affordable and safe public transport to/from facilities for staff, patients and visitors with, […] Read more Research and Impact: Other/developing local evidence use infrastructure May 25, 2022
Blog Post Environment and Net Zero Tackling Inequalities Research and Impact Infrastructure requirements for Wales to transition to a prosperous, sustainable economy Understanding wealth and wellbeing The twenty-first century will not be like the twentieth. Most obviously, the economy of the future will be low-carbon, more efficient, less reliant on fossil fuels and highly digitised. It will need to forgo dangerous depletion of natural resources, in particular the renewable kind, such as forests, fisheries and ecosystems that […] Read more Topics: Economy Net Zero Research and Impact: Other/developing local evidence use infrastructure May 24, 2022
Blog Post Community Wellbeing Environment and Net Zero Research and Impact The impact of infrastructure on wellbeing in Wales Infrastructure is inextricably linked to well-being. Good infrastructure, well-designed and well-located, developed according to sound principles and in collaboration with the end-users, will likely produce outstanding results for a long period of time. The converse is also true. The upcoming report from the Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) - “Infrastructure and long-term wellbeing” - […] Read more Research and Impact: Other/developing local evidence use infrastructure May 23, 2022
News Research and Impact WCPP work showcased in new report from the Academy of Social Sciences The Wales Centre for Public Policy is featured in a new report published by the Academy of Social Sciences, in partnership with SAGE Publishing. The Place to Be: how social sciences are helping to improve places in the UK, brings together 24 case studies showcasing how university-based social scientists are helping to make local areas, […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods November 11, 2021
Report Community Wellbeing Research and Impact Collaboration and policy implementation at the local level in Wales The United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union will have a considerable impact on the agricultural industry in Wales. Agricultural policy is a devolved matter, for which the Welsh Government is allocated an annual budget by the UK Government; prior to Brexit, this funding was delivered through the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy. In 2021-2022, Wales’ […] Read more Topics: Community collaboration Local government Research and Impact: PhD Interns June 30, 2021
Blog Post Research and Impact Five years on from the Brexit referendum Five years ago today the UK voted to leave the European Union (EU), a process which culminated in the beginning of a new trade relationship with the EU from January 1st of this year. WCPP and our predecessor organisation PPIW have been engaged with understanding the implications of Brexit for Wales throughout this period. We […] Read more Topics: Economy Research and Impact: Impact June 23, 2021
Blog Post Research and Impact PhD Internships – Learning by doing In January 2021, the Wales Centre for Public Policy welcomed two doctoral students on three-month ESRC funded internships. Aimee Morse from the University of Gloucestershire studied a local evidence ecosystem - a case-study of a farmer group in North Wales, and Findlay Smith from Aberystwyth University worked with us to study the Welsh Government’s use […] Read more Research and Impact: PhD Interns April 29, 2021
Blog Post Research and Impact It ain’t what you (can) do it’s the way that you do it How can devolved governments deliver distinctive policies? Just because a government has the power to do something, it doesn’t always mean that it can actually do it. So what makes the difference? We explored this question in a recently published article which we wrote with Steve Martin. The question matters because making policy and law […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods April 14, 2021
Blog Post Research and Impact What might implementation science and knowledge mobilisation mean for What Works Centres? Implementation science (IS) and knowledge mobilisation (KMb) are just two concepts in the plethora of ideas and terms developed over the last decades in narrowing the gap between knowledge being produced and knowledge being used in policy and practice. Other terms include knowledge brokering, knowledge transfer, co-production, dissemination science, and knowledge exchange. Most of them […] Read more Research and Impact: The role of KBOs December 8, 2020
News Research and Impact WCPP joins £2m International Public Policy Observatory The Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) is part of a major new initiative that will bring together researchers and policy makers to tackle the impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic and accelerate the UK’s recovery. The International Public Policy Observatory (IPPO) is a collaboration between University College London, Cardiff University, Queen’s University Belfast, the University of […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods The role of KBOs December 3, 2020
Blog Post Tackling Inequalities Research and Impact A Conversation on Wales' Future On 18th September 2020 we, along with our colleagues at WISERD (Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research and Data), hosted a webinar in which Carwyn Jones MS (former First Minister of Wales), Auriol Miller (Director of the Institute of Welsh Affairs), and Rachel Minto (Wales Governance Centre, Cardiff University) analysed the trajectories and priorities […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods November 3, 2020
Blog Post Research and Impact The Coronavirus pandemic – an opportunity for policy entrepreneurs? It has become something of a mantra that ‘things cannot be the same’ after the Coronavirus pandemic. This is partly because of a growing sense that if, as seems likely, the Coronavirus pandemic will be with us for some time, we won’t be able to work, shop, learn and socialise as we used to, even […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods June 19, 2020
Blog Post Environment and Net Zero Research and Impact The implications of the Coronavirus pandemic for the Welsh economy The Coronavirus pandemic is having a profound and unprecedented impact on the Welsh economy – an economy already weakened by retrenchment and austerity in the public sector following the 2008 financial crisis, in addition to the challenges posed by leaving the European Union. The Coronavirus pandemic adds to these challenges and exposes existing vulnerabilities. Nonetheless, […] Read more Topics: Economy Research and Impact: Impact May 27, 2020
Blog Post Community Wellbeing Research and Impact When this is all over: Recovering from Coronavirus ‘When this is all over’ has to be one of the most over-used phrases of the Coronavirus pandemic. But will it, in fact, ever be over? Maybe this is a very sudden but quite short-lived shock. But it seems much more likely that Coronavirus will have lasting long-term effects that leave our economy and society […] Read more Topics: Health inequalities Research and Impact: Impact May 20, 2020
Blog Post Environment and Net Zero Research and Impact Can Research Apprenticeships open the door to a policy career? The Wales Centre for Public Policy introduced the Research Apprenticeship scheme in 2017. The aim was to build the capacity of researchers to engage with policymakers and public services to address key challenges in Wales. Each year, we provide an opportunity for an outstanding graduate to gain first-hand experience of providing evidence for policymaking. The […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods PhD Internships May 12, 2020
Blog Post Research and Impact How might lower-ranking officials have a greater impact on policy development than previously assumed? How can small-territory, subnational governments make the most of their position? Subnational governments like the devolved governments in the UK combine some of the opportunities and limitations of the national and the local governments between which they sit. They have some ‘national government’-type responsibilities and resources, like legislative authority and funding powers, although those resources […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods April 20, 2020
Blog Post Research and Impact Increasing the reach of the What Works network At Wales Centre for Public Policy we’re part of the UK’s What Works network. It’s a group of 13 (and counting) Centres aiming to improve the use of evidence in decision-making in various policy areas from education, to policing, to wellbeing. We think we’ve got a lot to share with the rest of the What […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods The role of KBOs March 10, 2020
Blog Post Research and Impact 5 things we learned about procurement The Wales Centre for Public Policy has been exploring the case for a more strategic approach to public procurement for nearly two years. In July 2018 we hosted an event that considered the lessons from the collapse of Carillion. Earlier this year we published reports on contracting, stewardship and public value and on sustainable public […] Read more Topics: Economy Research and Impact: Methods December 5, 2019
Blog Post Research and Impact Mobilising Meaningful Connections between Evidence and Practice At the Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP), we are continually reflecting upon our role as a ‘knowledge brokerage organisation’ (KBO). We see ‘knowledge brokerage’ as the practice of connecting researchers and decision makers to help inform public policy and professional practice. Although knowledge brokerage has great potential, we also recognise the complexity inherent in […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods The role of KBOs November 29, 2019
Blog Post Research and Impact What works in getting evidence used? One of the Early Intervention Foundation's (EIF) core functions is to see that evidence on early intervention is actually being used in policy, decision-making and practice. Jo Casebourne and Donna Molloy summarise some of the varied approaches we have taken to tackling this particular challenge, and our commitment to making ongoing improvements in how we […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods The role of KBOs November 26, 2019
Blog Post Research and Impact Researching the Use of Evidence in Policy Making What does it mean to be a ‘knowledge broker’? What impact does knowledge brokerage have on government policymaking? Why might evidence use at the local level require different approaches, and how would this be implemented? Here at the Wales Centre for Public Policy we recognise that the relationship between evidence and policy is complex and […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods The role of KBOs November 18, 2019
Project Research and Impact Practices of effective knowledge mobilisation We are undertaking research on evidence use in policymaking, service design and implementation at the local level. A range of initiatives have been introduced, at different times and in different places across the UK, to increase the use of evidence to inform local policy and enhance frontline public service performance. Our research will provide a […] Read more Research and Impact: The role of KBOs November 1, 2019
Project Research and Impact The impact of the Wales Centre for Public Policy on policymakers views and use of evidence in Wales The Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) is a knowledge brokering organisation. Its primary aim is to enhance processes of public policy making, public service design and provision, by promoting a culture and mindset of evidence use. It works with academics and experts to provide Welsh Government and public services in Wales with high quality […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact November 1, 2019
Project Research and Impact What are Knowledge Brokering Organisations? There has been a significant growth in the number of evidence intermediaries or knowledge brokering organisations sitting between research and government and seeking to bridge the perceived 'gap' between evidence and policy. Their proliferation has been fuelled by the key assumption of the evidence-informed policymaking (EIPM) movement: that more evidence will lead to better policy. […] Read more Research and Impact: The role of KBOs November 1, 2019
Blog Post Research and Impact How did we get here and how can we build on it? Across Wales a lively debate surrounds both the health of the Welsh economy and its future prospects. It is widely accepted that the performance of the Welsh economy lags behind the UK average and a range of comparator regions in other parts of Europe. There is some good news. In recent years unemployment has been […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods August 21, 2019
News Research and Impact Wales Centre for Public Policy acclaimed for outstanding impact on policy in Wales The Wales Centre for Public Policy, based at Cardiff University, has been acclaimed by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) through its annual Celebrating Impact prize scheme. The Centre was named as one of the two finalists in the category for Outstanding Public Policy Impact at a ceremony at the Royal Society in London […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact The role of KBOs July 16, 2019
Blog Post Research and Impact Welsh Policy and Politics in Unprecedented Times On 24th May 2019, the Wales Centre for Public Policy and the Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research, Data and Methods (WISERD) organised a conference called ‘Welsh Policy and Politics in Unprecedented Times’ which brought together 45 academics, practitioners and policy-makers to discuss present and future challenges facing Wales, notably in relation to Brexit […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods July 8, 2019
Blog Post Research and Impact Our Theory of Change There is widespread agreement across diverse policy and research communities that evidence can play a vital role in processes of democratic deliberation on the aims, design and implementation of public policy interventions. The challenge for everyone working at the interface of policy and research is how to assess the value (impact) of what we do. […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods June 25, 2019
Blog Post Environment and Net Zero Research and Impact Evidence, practice and philosophy: How can we undertake effective evidence-informed practice in Wales? Wales is currently experiencing an unprecedented level of educational reform. Along with a distinctive approach to curriculum development comes an emphasis on transforming schools into professional learning organisations (PLOs). This results in stakeholders not only debating curricular concerns about what knowledge pupils need to know and how, but also what teachers need to know and […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods The role of KBOs June 6, 2019
Blog Post Research and Impact Powers and Policy Levers - What works in delivering Welsh Government policies? As Wales marks twenty years of devolution, our latest report, Powers and Policy Levers: What works in delivering Welsh Government policies? presents the findings of a research project into the way that the Welsh Government has used the powers and policy levers available to it. Having outlined the policy context in Wales over the last […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods May 17, 2019
Blog Post Research and Impact Introducing our Advisory Board Members The group brings together a stellar cast of more than 20 eminent individuals with experience of having worked at the highest levels in government, public services, academia, think tanks and independent research organisations. It includes members with experience as national and local politicians, political advisers, senior civil servants, senior managers in local government, health, the […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods The role of KBOs May 15, 2019
News Research and Impact WCPP selected as a finalist for ESRC Celebrating Impact Prize We are delighted to announce that the Centre has been selected as a finalist for this year’s ESRC’s Celebrating Impact Prize in recognition of the way in which it has enabled Ministers to use evidence to inform policy decisions. The prestigious prize, now in its seventh year, celebrates ESRC-funded teams who have achieved outstanding economic […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact The role of KBOs May 8, 2019
Blog Post Research and Impact How can governments improve cross-cutting working? Cross cutting working - making sure that different departments and services work effectively with each other - is a constant challenge for all governments, even when they are as comparatively small as the Welsh Government. Last year, we were commissioned by the First Minister to synthesise the evidence on cross-cutting working, and our latest report, […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods April 17, 2019
Blog Post Research and Impact The role of behaviour change in shaping public policy decisions Behaviour change is an increasingly common theme in public policy. Peter John goes as far to claim that ‘many of the greatest challenges in public policy can only be fully addressed by changing the behaviour of citizens’. Previously, public policy interventions in behaviour change worked from the assumption that behaviours were rational processes, and that […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods March 27, 2019
Blog Post Research and Impact Managing diverse relationships in cross-cutting government This ‘think piece’ builds on my recent presentation to a seminar for senior officials hosted by the Wales Centre for Public Policy which looked at the thorny issue of cross-government working. It isn’t an academic review, and I have deliberately not burdened it with lots of academic references. Instead I’m drawing on practical, interesting and […] Read more Topics: Diversity and inclusion Local government Research and Impact: Methods March 5, 2019
News Research and Impact Blueprint for Welsh policy commissions supplied by new expert report A new report by the Wales Centre for Public Policy brings together evidence and expert perspectives to set out a best practice approach for future policy commissions. ‘Commissions and their role in public policy’ analyses how to get the foundations of a commission right, the different approaches to gathering evidence, and managing the politics to […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods June 21, 2018
News Research and Impact Adroddiad newydd yn cynnig cynllun ar gyfer comisiynau polisi yng Nghymru Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods June 21, 2018
Blog Post Research and Impact Evidence-informed policymaking: does knowledge brokering work? Sarah Quarmby takes a look inside the Wales Centre for Public Policy to see how its day-to-day workings tally with the body of knowledge about evidence use in policymaking. This article originally appeared on the LSE British Politics and Policy blog. There’s widespread and sustained interest in the role of evidence in policymaking. But because policymaking […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods The role of KBOs June 18, 2018
News Research and Impact WCPP clinches Impact on Policy Award The work of the predecessor to the Wales Centre for Public Policy in championing collaboration between academics and the Welsh Government has been awarded a Cardiff University innovation award. The partnership between what was the Public Policy Institute for Wales (PPIW) and the Welsh Government has won the Impact on Policy Award at Cardiff University’s […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact The role of KBOs June 1, 2018
News Research and Impact New Welsh Government work programme announced The Wales Centre for Public Policy has announced the latest wave of its programme of work for the Welsh Government. The new assignments are: Behavioural change and household recycling Strategies and technologies in improving air quality What works in supplementing the teaching of second languages? Maximising the civic contribution of universities and wider tertiary education […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods May 23, 2018
Blog Post Research and Impact Strengthening the Links Between Academic Research and the National Assembly for Wales It is widely accepted that academic research has an important role to play in policy formation and scrutiny, but there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ way of making this happen. The National Assembly for Wales (aka the Welsh Assembly) is involved with some exciting initiatives to make sure that evidence gets to the politicians who need it […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods The role of KBOs May 16, 2018
Blog Post Research and Impact Brexit and Wales: Understanding the Reasons Behind the Welsh Vote On Thursday 30th March, 2017, the PPIW and Knowledge and Analytical Services welcomed colleagues to an evidence symposium which aimed to understand the reasons behind the Welsh vote in 2016's referendum on EU membership. The event featured expert speakers from UK universities and research centres, providing a mix of short presentations with a broader discussion with […] Read more Topics: Economy Research and Impact: Methods April 6, 2017
Blog Post Research and Impact How Wales is Understood in the UK is a Problem It was recently announced that a new BBC TV channel will broadcast in Scotland from 2018. It will have a budget of £30m, roughly equivalent to that of BBC Four. Alongside that, Scotland will receive more money to make UK-wide programmes. Perhaps the most interesting development is that, included in the new channel’s scheduling is an hour-long […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods March 23, 2017
Blog Post Research and Impact What will Brexit mean for Wales? On 23 June, the UK voted to leave the European Union. The process for leaving and the implications for Wales are uncertain, but broadly speaking there are three forms that Brexit could take: Soft Brexit: Retain membership of the single market through the European Economic Area (EEA). The closest type of relationship the UK could have with […] Read more Topics: Economy Research and Impact: Impact July 28, 2016
Report Community Wellbeing Research and Impact Measuring Progress on Well-being: The Development of National Indicators This report from the Policy Institute for Wales (PPIW) provides advice to the Welsh Government on the development of a set of National Indicators to measure progress towards the future well-being of Wales. The National Indicators are a key part of the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. The overarching aim of the Act […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact October 19, 2015
Report Research and Impact Connection, Coherence and Capacity: Policy Making in Smaller Countries The William Plowden Fellowship supports short research projects looking at issues of governance and public policy. Under its auspices, Tamlyn Rabey, a civil servant at the Welsh Government, has undertaken a study of policy making in smaller countries. The study found that there are significant advantages in relation to policy making from working at the […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods October 6, 2015
Report Research and Impact Comparing Council Performance: The Feasibility of Cross-National Comparisons within the UK For this report the Public Policy Institute for Wales (PPIW) commissioned experts at the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) to assess the feasibility of comparing the performance of Welsh, English and Scottish Councils. Their report identifies a series of indicators that provide a basis for reliable comparisons of expenditure and performance at […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods September 10, 2015
Report Research and Impact A Shared Responsibility: Maximising Learning from the Invest to Save Fund This report from the Public Policy Institute for Wales (PPIW) concludes that councils, health boards and Welsh Government can work together more closely and need to do more to learn from each other about ways of improving frontline services. The report, A Shared Responsibility, has been written by local government expert Professor James Downe. It […] Read more Topics: Economy Research and Impact: Impact November 24, 2014
Report Research and Impact How Should the Welsh Government Decide where to Locate its Overseas Offices? Making sure Wales has the right web presence and creating roving teams to promote benefits of locating in Wales are just two recommendations from reports produced by the Public Policy Institute for Wales (PPIW). Led by Professor Max Munday, an expert in inward investment based at Cardiff University’s Business School, the research found that Wales […] Read more Topics: Economy Local government Research and Impact: Methods October 29, 2014
