A partnership led by Aberystwyth University has received over £5 million in funding to research and explore solutions to rural challenges.
Funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the Local Policy and Innovation Partnership for Rural Wales, or LPIP Rural Wales, aims to solve challenges faced by rural communities.
The partnership aims to fill evidence gaps, explore solutions and enhance the use of research to support effective policies to foster a “wellbeing economy”.
It will focus on the challenges facing rural communities, including the “rural premium” on poverty, as well as things that can be done to support the net zero transition, enhance health, wellbeing and access to services and empower communities and culture.
The director of the LPIP Rural Wales partnership, Prof Michael Woods, said: “Rural Wales faces significant challenges in growing its economy, providing good jobs and housing for local people, and maintaining services to ensure the wellbeing of communities.
“This is an exciting opportunity to bring together expertise from universities, businesses, the public sector and communities to work towards an inclusive, sustainable future for the region.”
Partnership
The partnership involves researchers at Aberystwyth University, Bangor University, Cardiff University and the University of Gloucestershire.
Partners also include Antur Cymru, the Centre for Alternative Technology, Datblygiadau Egni Gwledig, Represent Us Rural, Rural Health and Care Wales, Together for Change, and industry partner Sgema.
It has been put together under the framework of the Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research and Data (WISERD).
The three-year work programme will attempt to engage a range of people in innovation labs to develop and test interventions, community-led research projects focused on local concerns, and dialogues to discuss issues such as land use and net zero.
It will also collect new data through surveys and short studies, and the creation of an Online Integrated Evidence Hub for rural Wales.
Pro vice-chancellor for research, knowledge exchange and innovation at Aberystwyth University, Prof Angela Hatton, said:
“Rural communities and their futures are naturally very close to everyone’s hearts here in Aberystwyth, and this important project will help us deepen our understanding of the challenges facing these areas.
“Professor Wood’s leadership of this new research partnership underlines once again how very fortunate we are to have leading experts in their fields working here.
“Such a high calibre of expertise is obviously of great value to our students, but also makes a vital contribution to society at large both locally and internationally.”
Head of UKRI’s creating opportunities, improving outcomes theme, Prof Alison Park, said: “Local Policy Innovation Partnerships demonstrate UKRI’s commitment to bringing together a diverse range of partners, from local and devolved government, communities and businesses.
“Through these long-term collaborations, we will accelerate the use of research and innovation to reduce regional inequalities and drive sustainable, inclusive growth.”
The Rural Wales LPIP is one of four Local Policy and Innovation Partnerships funded by the ESRC, with others in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The research work is supported by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding as part of its work to creating opportunities and improve outcomes locally.
