Author: sipsshu

The Sheffield Institute for Policy Studies (SIPS) showcases the policy research undertaken across Sheffield Hallam University with a view to informing and shaping policy locally and nationally. It provides access to leading academics and policy researchers from across the University.

The role of higher education in Levelling Up: reforming or subverting the market?

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Why isn’t higher education seen as playing a role in levelling up? On first reading the Levelling Up the United Kingdom White Paper, there appears to be a 'higher education' sized gap in the middle of its argument, between where it talks about the need for more 'skills' (without specifying the levels of study required) and where it identifies the need to grow 'research and development clusters' in left behind areas. It manages to do this without reference to where highly qualified researchers are educated and choose to live, or the relationship between where those researchers live and where hi-tech companies choose to locate.

What does the rainbow mean to you?

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This is the question being asked in new research by Jen Slater, Eleanor Formby and Drew Simms in a project funded by BA/Leverhulme. The rainbow flag is often synonymous with LGBT+ people and/or Pride, and we’re interested in exploring how LGBTQIA+ people relate to the rainbow personally, and their views on the ways that rainbows are used within institutional settings – both as symbols of LGBTQIA+ inclusion and, since COVID-19, as a symbol of the NHS. Currently, we’re focussing on the use of rainbows in higher education, but in future we hope to broaden this out to also look at other intuitional settings.

We care about clean air: It’s time to think about our next car purchase

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In Sheffield, the air we breathe has been above legal limits for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) for 10 years, contributing to 500 deaths each year from lung cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke. The biggest cause of air pollution is transport, especially diesel vehicles. Sheffield City Council (SCC) have pledged to reduce the number of people driving diesel cars and are promoting electric car use with electric vehicle trials, alternative fuels, green parking schemes, publicity and awareness raising events.