Podcast: Gerrin' on wi' it series - "Collaboration is essential for research to be useful and responsive" - Yorkshire academics embracing cross-sector working

"Collaboration is essential for research to be useful and responsive" - Yorkshire academics embracing cross-sector working 

In this episode of "Gerrin' on wi' it," host Dr Andy Mycock speaks with Professor Joe Cook from the University of Hull about what makes collaboration work in research and community engagement. 

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Joe leads the Communities in their Places cross-cutting theme for the Yorkshire Policy Innovation Partnership (YPIP), working with local authorities, voluntary organisations, and residents across Yorkshire and the Humber. She discusses Hull's "flipped university" model that prioritises community needs, the art of listening over ivory tower thinking, and building trust by not overpromising. 

Drawing on projects from Local Area Coordination to cost of living crisis research, Joe illustrates how participatory action research bridges gaps between stakeholders with competing pressures - and why the most powerful research reflects lived experiences and delivers tangible outcomes for real people, not just academic publications. 

This episode was recorded on 16 December 2025. If you would like to get in touch, please contact contact@y-pern.org.uk. A transcript of this episode is available.  

Acronyms explained: 

• Y-PERN – Yorkshire and Humber Policy and Engagement Network 
• UPEN – Universities Policy Engagement Network 
• UKRI – UK Research and Innovation 
• ESRC – Economic and Social Research Council 
• YPIP – Yorkshire Policy Innovation Partnership 

Helpful links: 

• https://www.communitycatalysts.co.uk/lacnetwork/local-area-coordination/what-is-local-area-coordination/  

About the speakers: 

Dr Andy Mycock is a political scientist with extensive experience of academic public policy engagement. As Chief Policy Fellow for the Yorkshire and Humber Policy Engagement and Research Network (www.y-pern.org.uk) he collaborates with a wide range of academic, government and non-government stakeholders across the region and UK and internationally. Andy is also Cross-Programme Lead for the University Policy Engagement Network and is an elected trustee of the Political Studies Association. He chaired the Kirklees Democracy Commission (2016-2018) and was recently appointed to the UK Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government College of Experts.    

Joe Cook is Professor of Organisational Behaviour at the Hull University Business School. Her research focuses on building lived experience and community voice into policy and practice. Joe leads on ‘Communities in Their Places’ in the YPIP.  She has held 16 UK and EU grants (ESRC, NIHR, British Academy, EU, government & local authority commissions) including cross-sectoral dialogue, prevention in adult social Care, responsible business, employee volunteering and also on ageing and migration. Her leisure time is spent with her two Irish Setters Logan and Noah.