A new report by the Academy of Social Sciences, in partnership with eight Midlands-based universities, showcases the positive impact of social science research taking place in the Midlands region, for the benefit of the Midlands region and its communities.
This report comes at a time when social, economic, health, place-based, and skills and education issues are among the most pressing in regions across the UK, and when regional development is at the heart of UK Government policy. It exemplifies the economic, social and civic roles of Midlands universities, and in particular that of their social science faculties, as powerhouses of ideas, research, innovation and leadership that seek to understand and help to address some of the most pressing challenges in their region.
‘Social sciences in the region, for the region: the Midlands’ highlights nine examples in which deeply applied and solutions-focused social science research is using innovative, collaborative and multi-disciplinary ways to bring substantial regional benefits at scale. The examples – selected by the universities – also highlight the vital role of universities in partnering with other higher education institutions, regional government, business and communities to stimulate and capitalise on opportunities for growth while responding to long standing challenges around economic growth and productivity, and on health, wellbeing and inclusivity of workers within the region.
The report, and its recommendations, serve to reinforce to research funders, UK Government, regional administrations and university leaders the value of social science research in a region in enabling, facilitating and contributing to regional development, and of the important civic role of universities in the widest sense.
Some of the examples featured include:
- Social science research from the West Midlands Regional Economic Development Institute influencing and shaping multi-million-pound investments, including the £2bn Midlands Rail Hub investment, leading to boosts for the regional economy in the face of multiple challenges.
- A team of social scientists developing a data dashboard showing economic and social activity in real time, enabling local, regional and national policymakers to use data-led insights to inform better decision-making and help drive growth, both during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Social science research surveying 2,000 Midlands-based businesses which informed interventions aimed at improving workplace mental health, reaching 800,000 employees in the region.
The research profiled highlights the benefits brought to be bear from social science knowledge, evidence and expertise, ranging from shaping policy through evidence-based data for policymakers, to creating tools and interventions for practitioners and practice that make a real difference to staff, citizens, and communities in the Midlands. These are just a small sample of the many social science research-into-evidence and research-into-practice projects that are going on in the Midlands’ universities.
Dr Rita Gardner CBE FAcSS, Chief Executive of the Academy of Social Sciences, said, “This timely report demonstrates the power and importance of collaborative university research, led by social scientists, in driving and supporting growth, productivity and wellbeing in the Midlands. It is an excellent example of the collective positive impact that social science research brings to bear in the region, for the region.”
Professor Nick Vaughan-Williams FAcSS and Professor Zoe Radnor FAcSS, from the University of Birmingham and Aston University, respectively, said, “Universities are anchor institutions in their region. They are both indebted to and transformative of the places in which they are located. The unique role of social science is to support that civic mission by understanding and improving how people live and experience their lives. This report demonstrates how, working in collaboration with each other and in partnership with local government, businesses, and the third sector, social scientists across the Midlands have acted as engines of change.”
‘Social sciences in the region, for the region: the Midlands’ is a joint publication between the Academy of Social Sciences and Aston University, University of Birmingham, De Montfort University, University of Leicester, Loughborough University, University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University and University of Warwick. The report showcases exemplars from a number of Midlands-based universities, demonstrating the innovative, collaborative and multi-disciplinary ways in which the social sciences are working to bring substantial regional impacts at scale in the Midlands.
Notes to Editors
For further information contact:
Amy Williams (Senior Communications Manager) at [email protected]/[email protected]
About the Academy of Social Sciences
The Academy of Social Sciences is the national academy of academics, practitioners and learned societies in the social sciences. The sector’s leading independent voice in the UK, we champion the vital role social sciences play in education, governments and business.
The social sciences include: anthropology; business, finance & management; development studies; economics; economic & social history; education; human geography; law; planning; politics; regional studies; sociology; social policy; social psychology; social statistics & methodologies