In the latest episode of Placecast, Professor Michael Woods, Director of the Cymru Wledig LPIP (Rural Wales), offers a rich and thoughtful journey through Welsh devolution, rural policy, and the power of deeply embedded place-based research. It’s a conversation that blends decades of academic insight with a grounded understanding of how communities, policymakers, and researchers mutually shape one another.

Placecast is a Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) Hub production based at City-REDI, University of Birmingham. Our new podcast is essential listening for those keen to explore the ins and outs of knowledge mobilisation for influence in central and local government, based on the view that it’s only through animating the power of place-based leadership that the wicked problems of 2026 can become more manageable.

Professor Michael Woods is the Director of the Cymru Wledig LPIP (Rural Wales), the Local Policy and Innovation Partnership for Rural Wales. It connects academic researchers, public bodies, third and private sector organisations and communities to enhance the use of research and innovation to support effective policy-making, sustainable regional development, and the wellbeing of people and places across rural Wales.

Michael Woods joined Aberystwyth University as a Lecturer in Human Geography in 1996, became Professor in 2008, and has since held major leadership roles, including Director of the Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences and Professor of Transformative Social Science. A leading rural and political geographer, he co-directs WISERD@Aberystwyth, has led major international projects such as the ERC-funded GLOBAL-RURAL and Horizon 2020 IMAJINE, and previously co-directed the Wales Rural Observatory. He is Editor of the Journal of Rural Studies, a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and the Learned Society of Wales, and an award‑winning researcher with visiting posts in China, Slovenia and Australia, as well as service on the Welsh Government’s Independent Review of Student Finance.

Find out more about Michael

Dr Nicola Headlam has over 20 years of experience working across all aspects of the multi-helix innovation system, including central and local government, civil society and campaigning, academic research and knowledge mobilisation, and industry. Along the way, she has honed her expertise in urban and regional subnational economic development, the roles of government in shaping place, and in utilising data and evidence for transformation.

In 2024, she became a freelance economic advisor on the role of leadership and partnerships, urban and living lab forms for research, future of cities and foresighting methods, urban transformations, place-branding and urban regeneration and the spatial consequences of public policy.

Find out more about the LPIP Hub.

Transcript from the podcast

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In the latest episode of Placecast, Dr Nicola Headlam sits down with one of the UK’s most respected place‑based leaders: Kersten England, former Chief Executive of Bradford and York, Chair of the Young Foundation, and Co‑Investigator on the Yorkshire Policy Innovation Partnership (YPIP).

Across a rich, wide‑ranging conversation, Kersten reflects on her 30‑year career in local government, her early academic foundations, and the lessons she’s learned about building alliances, mobilising evidence, and rewiring the relationship between universities and place.

Placecast is a Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) Hub production based at City-REDI, University of Birmingham. Our new podcast is essential listening for those keen to explore the ins and outs of knowledge mobilisation for influence in central and local government, based on the view that it’s only through animating the power of place-based leadership that the wicked problems of 2026 can become more manageable.

Kersten England CBE is the former Chief Executive of Bradford and York, Chair of the Young Foundation, and Co‑Investigator on the Yorkshire Policy Innovation Partnership (YPIP).

Passionate about building community, social justice, equality, diversity and healthy democratic practice, her career over four decades has included work in the voluntary and community sector, higher education, central government and more than 30 years in local government.

Find out more about Kersten

Dr Nicola Headlam has over 20 years of experience working across all aspects of the multi-helix innovation system, including central and local government, civil society and campaigning, academic research and knowledge mobilisation, and industry. Along the way, she has honed her expertise in urban and regional subnational economic development, the roles of government in shaping place, and in utilising data and evidence for transformation.

In 2024, she became a freelance economic advisor on the role of leadership and partnerships, urban and living lab forms for research, future of cities and foresighting methods, urban transformations, place-branding and urban regeneration and the spatial consequences of public policy.

Find out more about the LPIP Hub.

Transcript from the podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Placecast, Nicola Headlam speaks with Abigail Taylor (City-REDI) and Jeff Matsu (City-REDI Fellow) about their groundbreaking comparative research on governance and fiscal devolution between Japan and the UK. Their work, supported by international partnerships and field visits to Osaka and Tokyo, offers fresh insights into how decentralisation and collaborative leadership can shape better outcomes for regions.

Placecast is a Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) Hub production based at City-REDI, University of Birmingham. It is essential listening for those keen to explore the ins and outs of knowledge mobilisation for influence in central and local government, based on the view that it’s only through animating the power of place-based leadership that the wicked problems of 2026 can become more manageable.

Jeffrey Matsu is a former Chief Economist at the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and a Fellow at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford. He is a City-REDI Fellow and is also on the Delivery Team for the Local Policy Innovation Partnership Hub.

With extensive experience in connecting policy with practice through evidence-based research, he works with partner governments, accountancy bodies and the public sector around the world to advance public finance and support better public services.

Jeff holds degrees in economics from the University of Washington and Johns Hopkins University.

View Jeff’s LinkedIn profile

Dr Abigail Taylor is a Research Fellow at City-REDI, University of Birmingham, and leads on several themes for the Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) Hub. Abigail’s research interests lie in regional and local labour markets, skills, institutions, employment support policy and place. Sub-interests include future skills mismatches, lifelong learning, funding flows and governance structures. Abigail has extensive experience in comparative international research.

View Abigail’s online profile

Dr Nicola Headlam has over 20 years of experience working across all aspects of the multi-helix innovation system, including central and local government, civil society and campaigning, academic research and knowledge mobilisation, and industry. Along the way, she has honed her expertise in urban and regional subnational economic development, the roles of government in shaping place, and in utilising data and evidence for transformation.

In 2024, she became a freelance economic advisor on the role of leadership and partnerships, urban and living lab forms for research, future of cities and foresighting methods, urban transformations, place-branding and urban regeneration and the spatial consequences of public policy.

Find out more about the LPIP Hub.

Transcript from the podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.