Launch of the Rural Research and Strategy Partnership

The Rural Research and Strategy Partnership (RRSP), a new collaboration between Forest Research, the Universities of Reading, Surrey, Sussex, and the University College for the Creative Arts has been launched.

This new initiative aims to build a rural knowledge base in South East England by addressing critical issues in the field of rural sustainability. Specifically, the partnership’s role is to broker and bring together new communities and collaborations of key policy-makers, rural stakeholder groups and multi-disciplinary teams of researchers. The aim is to encourage the generation and use of new research evidence to inform rural policy-making.

'A Breath of Fresh Air' - the partnership's official launch event, was held in London on 24 April. This provided a successful prelude to the parternships's activities and promoted relationships between the regions's rural stakeholders. The keynote speaker at the event was Dr Stuart Burgess, the Government's Rural Advocate. Other speakers included Valerie Carter, Rural Director for the South East of England Development Agency (SEEDA) and SEEDA's Chief Scientist and Head of Innovation, Dr Ed Metcalfe.

The partnership now has a part-time coordinator, Dr Anja Ueberjahn-Tritta, who is based at Forest Research's offices at Alice Holt. This autumn, the RRSP will organise a number of research workshops on some of the rural sectors' "hot topics" with the aim of engaging researchers and stakeholders and stimulating new research projects and collaborations.

More details on upcoming events, as well as more general information about the partnership, including the launch event's summary of proceedings, can be found online at www.forestresearch.gov.uk/rrsp.

Source: FR News, July 2008

New rural partnership develops the research landscape in the South East

"The South East is the economic powerhouse of the UK, and our rural heritage and assets play an important role in that. But one of our big problems is understanding how can we maintain and improve rural sustainability alonside the demands of econimic progress. The South East is a global examplar of this paradox. I believe that the RRSP will lead the way to resolving the dilemma through enabling targeted, appropriate research, and in doing so, provide a model transferable to similar areas of the world", says Professor Peter Bunyan, Chair of RRSP.

Source: Press release, April 2008

Research collaborations start up in the South East

South-east England has witnessed the birth of two major, regional research collaborations - the Rural Research and Strategy Partnership and the South East Physics Network.

The networks may deal with very different research topics, but each appears to represent the growing significance of strong, multi-faceted regional alliances between university departments.

The RRSP unites five research institutions, including the universities of Surrey, Sussex and Reading. According to partnership coordinator Anna Ueberjahn-Tritta of Forest Research, based in Farnham, Surrey, the initiative aims to achieve greater dialogue between local policy makers and researchers by using research evidence to address major rural issues.

"The partners in this project have worked together for 20 years, so it seemed logical to formalise and expand this", said Alison Melvin, a business development manager at Forest Research. "Our topics will include land use, agriculture, the environment and forest research."

The parternship is setting up a steering group and a networking event for all participants is planned for this summer.

The total amount of funding for the partnership has not been released, but it will come from the research councils, the South East England Development Agency and the European Union.

Source: Research Fortnight, May 2008

University helps to shape rural future of region

Professor Bob Allison, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) says, "This partnership is a real opportunity for researchers to come together and contribute to the continued economic success of the region. It is also an opportunity to develop innovative solutions for protecting our rural heritage and rich natural assets. I am proud that Sussex is playing its part in this venture."

Source: Sussex University Bulletin, May 2008

New partnership brings a breath of fresh air to rural policy and research

"The RRSP will focus on the wide range of topics considered priorities for the South East's regional sustainability", explains SEEDA's Rural Director, Valerie Carter. She continues, "These certainly include questions on rural land use as policymakers wrestle with the best ways to cope with climate change, to sustain biodiversity and to develop renewable energy supplies. Equally, many problems more often associated with urban areas create headaches for rural areas. And the solutions to common issues - affordable housing, waste disposal, enterprise, staying healthy - can look very different in the countryside than in the town. "I'm encouraged that this new partnership will allow policy makers to be more confident and knowledgeable about the impact that their initiatives will have."