Public Services and Governance Research Group

We produce research on public service change, reform and leadership and the experiences of service users and citizens in a range of social policy and social work areas.

Overhead view of streets and houses

Our research outputs help public services respond to contemporary, global challenges:

  • austerity and increased demand
  • housing need and an ageing population
  • increased citizen participation in a context of political upheaval
  • related changes in the delivery and governance of services

Within Scotland, a key focus of our research is on understanding the impact of devolution for policy development and implementation.

Developing advanced coproduced and participatory research with service-users and with public servants to improve outcomes for citizens is a further important focus.

The group’s current research priorities include:

  • inequalities in service delivery and access
  • delivering equality particularly in under-researched groups
  • place-making and place-based service delivery
  • coproduction with service users and communities
  • coproduction of research with policy customers and communities
  • digital citizenship and new methods of engagement with services