Coordinator: Professor Bob Osborne

The Social and Policy Research Institute seeks to harness and develop the highest quality research undertaken in the Faculty of Social Sciences within the broad areas of social and public policy with social work, education and politics and international affairs. It provides an institutional framework for undertaking high quality research and for the development of a vibrant research culture through organising seminars, colloquia and lectures, funding participation by Institute members in national and international conferences and a forum for engaging with policy makers and those involved with service delivery in the public and voluntary sectors.

In summary this part of the Institute is concerned with:

• Local and regional governance and devolution
• Conflict and post-conflict transition strategies and policies
• Voluntary action and partnerships in welfare provision
• Policy formulation, implementation and evaluation with particular respect to education
• Policies designed to achieve greater equality and better community relations
• Social inequality especially in relation to development issues
• European Social & Public Policy