Sarah Ayres
- Senior Lecturer in Policy Studies - PhD (Aston), BSc (Aston)
- Centre for Urban and Pubic Policy Research
- Tel: +44 (0)117 954 6762
- Email: Sarah.Ayres@bristol.ac.uk
Personal profile
Sarah completed her first degree and PhD at the University of Aston. Her PhD explored the impact of the Regional Development Agency - Advantage West Midlands - on the partnership infrastructure of the West Midlands region in England. Since completing her thesis she has carried out research into the emerging patterns of governance in the English regions, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council’s Devolution and Constitutional Change Programme (L21951113). She has also undertaken research for the Countryside Agency, Constitutional Convention, West Midlands Regional Assembly and Equal Opportunities Commission.
Sarah has recently completed a two-year ESRC project funded by the First Grants Scheme - 'English regionalism: rhetoric or substance? Evaluating decision making procedures for Regional Funding Allocations' (RES-061-23-0033) - 2007-2009. This work explored how designated funding is allocated for economic development, housing, transport and skills policy across all English regions, including London.
Sarah is Programme Director for the Masters in Public Policy programme and Associate Editor for the journal Policy & Politics.
Sarah can supervise postgraduate research students with the following interests: territorial governance, regionalism, policy networks, collaborative governance, partnership working
Teaching interests
Theories of the policy making process, the role of power in policy making, policy network theory, collaborative governance and New Labour's Third Way.
Research interests
Public administration, governance, devolution and decentralisation, English regionalism, economic development.