In 2017, we have launched a new policy research initiative worth £15,000 (c. $19,000; c. €16,800) to successful teams aiming to connect their work and wider communities to societal questions and policy needs. Expos will normally run for no more than 18 months from commissioning to the submission of the book and RSRS article for review.
The Association seeks a leading and impactful role for its community, to inform and influence policy and practice in creative and ambitious ways. The aim is to support Expos addressing issues that are important, current and having an impact on society. These Expos will investigate how the communities of regional studies, regional science, urban studies and related fields can respond to new societal challenges and opportunities. The full Terms and Conditions governing the grant are available in the Handbook.
Applications are invited on the following themes:
- Pandemics: Regional Resilience and Regional Policy Responses
- Social Innovation, Foundational Sectors and the Regional Economy
- The Future of Work, the Gig Economy, and Inclusive Growth
The submission deadline for the detailed application is 20th April 2021.
Please send your queries and your application to policyexpo@regionalstudies.org
The two key deliverables from the Expo are:
- an article for Regional Studies, Regional Science with the APC sponsored by the Association from the withheld portion of the grant (articles will be subject to peer review)
- a policy-facing book in the new RSA Impact and Policy Series. This would be a minimum 25,000 and maximum 30,000 word policy-facing It could be in the form of a report or edited papers with an introduction and conclusion. It must include an executive summary highlighting the policy implications from the work, and it must be accessible to policymakers and practitioners. The RSA will provide advice on book templates to maximise policy impact. This book would normally be expected to be launched by the Association at an appropriate time and venue and will be given in print form to all RSA members and in electronic form to all subscribers to the RSA journals pack. This gives each book a very substantial potential readership footprint. Additional copies will be purchased by the Association for distribution to the policy community directly.
Watch the recording of our webinar and learn more about the Policy Expo grant scheme – 03.02.2021, Grants and Funding: An Introduction to the Policy Expo Grant by the RSA – Phil Tomlinson (University of Bath, UK) and Neil Lee (London School of Economics, UK):
The application should be on the application form and include the following:
- Applicant information details (The details of the Chair – Principal Investigator and up to four Nominated Members of the RSA Policy Expo)
- Title of the Expo
- Project timings
- Resource allocation, proposed budget
- Details of the policy questions that the Expo will address and the relevant fields of policy and practice along with how they will be engaged in the work
- An outline of how this proposal might achieve societal impact
- An explanation of how the Expo will contribute to the fields of regional studies, regional science, urban studies and related fields
- A short CV (up to 3 pages each) for all Expo applicants
Regional Studies Policy Impact Books
This book series form a series of punchy, policy facing books addressing issues of contemporary concern. There is a consistent focus on the impact of policy research both in terms of its reach to policy, academic and practitioner communities and also in its significance, to show how evidence can inform policy change within regional and urban studies.
