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This case study shows the different ways local authorities are working with universities to develop their research capacity and capability. This is a celebration of the different collaborations and initiatives.
Formal Partnerships
Formal Partnerships
Rural and Civic Agreement
Rural and Civic Agreement
In 2021 Lincolnshire County Council and the University of Lincoln agreed a strategic approach to improve the lives of residents. It is backed by the councils Corporate Leadership Team, Leader and Portfolio Holders of the County Council and the Vice Chancellor of the University. The agreement’s overarching purpose is to improve the health, wellbeing, environment, and education of the residents of Lincolnshire.
Its objectives are to maximise future collaboration opportunities, for example, developing joint research bids and outputs; the creation of workforce opportunities (including research involvement, curricula shaping and development, research training, etc.) as well as knowledge sharing and the dissemination of research findings. They are exploring workforce development opportunities as a result of this investment, which may include practice supervision of placement students in the institute.
Current work with the University includes developing an Evaluation Framework Agreement and work to develop a Data Sharing Agreement – once agreed, both documents will sit as an annex to the Rural and Civic Agreement.
Read this article from University of Lincoln when they announced the agreement.
East Sussex Research Collaborative Hub (RCH) is a 12-month partnership; including: journal club, publication clinic, researcher development programme, research ethics, and more. The RCH has 2 workstreams:
Supporting the delivery of public health research projects in East Sussex.
Building research infrastructure through training and capacity building activities.
It encompasses 6 principles of capacity building:
building skills and confidence
developing linkages and partnerships
ensuring research is 'close to practice'
developing appropriate dissemination
investments in infrastructure
building elements of sustainability and continuity
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
Hartlepool Borough Council and Teesside University’s MOU sets out opportunities to develop a research culture including teaching, student placements and research.
West Northamptonshire Council and the University of Northampton have established a memorandum of understanding for partnership working.
Data
Data
Bradford City Council have project specific Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) with various higher education institutions to allow steering group members sight of documents.
Learn more about how HDRC Bradford are working with the University of York.
Honorary contracts
Honorary contracts
Bristol City Council colleagues can access Bristol University libraries and referencing software through honorary contract for a research project.
Funding
Funding
Torbay Council have been co-applicants on successful research funding applications with the University of Plymouth, University of Kent and University of Exeter.
Students
Students
Oxfordshire County Council have an established Local Policy Lab with Oxford Brookes University and the University of Oxford. Students with policy related research interests or who want to understand a local issue via their research can apply and gain the support of the council.
The Local Policy Fellowship programme provides an opportunity for students and researchers to engage with their local community and to better understand the public policy context of the city and local environment where they live.
The Local Policy Fellows work in partnership with Oxfordshire County Council and its policy partners to design and conduct impact evaluations, evaluate datasets, and collect qualitative data around health and climate policy initiatives.
Staffing
Staffing
Through the Barnsley Health Research Hub, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council have strengthened relationships with Sheffield University's Healthy Lifespan Institute (HELSI). They are exploring joint areas of research interest and research questions for Barnsley Place and are looking at options for viable research topics, projects and evidence reviews that staff and/or students can support.
Sunderland City Council have 2 embedded researchers (1 FTE) from the University of Sunderland who support research projects and activity in the council.
Training
Training
West Northamptonshire Council have a number of jointly funded projects with University of Northampton, including a 1-year Research Delivery Network funded project, embedding a researcher in the local authority half a day a week to conduct a training needs analysis, and develop and deliver a training package for colleagues.
Lincolnshire County Council are supported by the University of Lincoln to deliver webinars/CPD sessions for colleagues to support workforce development (e.g. Research Ethics training delivered in Jan 2025).
Guest Lecture
Guest Lecture
North Somerset's Director of Public Health is a visiting professor at the University of West England and a number of their colleagues are guest lecturers at University of Bristol, the University of Exeter, and University Centre Weston. A member of the public health team is also an honorary consultant senior lecturer in public health at University of Bristol, supporting collaboration on various research projects. They are co-applicants and practice collaborators on research projects and support joint research applications with universities and academic colleagues.
One of Lincolnshire County Council’s Consultants in Public Health is a Visiting Senior Fellow at the University of Lincoln.
Public and communities
Public and communities
The Co(I)laboratory is a community and civic engagement focused approach to doctoral research. Local community focused organisations (including Nottingham City Council) and academics from the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University work together to develop research with community co-supervisors for all projects.
The Co(I)laboratory is a community and civic engagement focused approach to doctoral research. Local community focused organisations (including Nottingham City Council) and academics from the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University work together to develop research with community co-supervisors for all projects.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this case study. If you would like to share any examples in your local authority, please email us using the address below. We hope these examples provide inspiration.
This page is available as a PDF, this webpage is the accessible version, to share with colleagues and consider how you can further develop your work with universities in the pursuit of research capacity building.
If you would like to speak to any of the local authorities, please contact us and we can put you in touch
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