One of PASCAL's major pieces of work has been the international study of universities' regional engagement PURE. The study examined policies and practice in 17 cities and regions around the world, with a view to reporting both to universities and regional stakeholders to help foster collaboration and economic and social development. The study was largely complete by 2011.

One of the regions in the UK which was included in the study was the County of Essex. Recently an interesting connection was made in a tweet by @WSlightly between the PASCAL PURE report for Essex, another research report, "Rural Renaissance: an integral component of regional economic resilience", more focussed on rural regional development from the Regional Studies Association, and the Essex Economic Growth Strategy document published by Essex County Council in 2012. 

Whilst neither report seems to be directly referenced in the County policy document, it is instructive to see themes raised in the research alongside the growth strategies adopted. An interesting example, perhaps, of the diffusion of ideas from research analysis into policy. In particular, see pages 11-17, 29, 37-45 of the County strategy report [featured below].

It would be interesting to hear of how other regions in the PURE study have taken developments forward in recent years.