NettOp UiS – UiS podkast

In episode 11 of the RegInno podcast, Raj and Tommy Galliver welcome Ron Boschma, Professor of Regional Economics at Utrecht University, Adjunct Professor in Innovation Studies at the UiS Business School, and one of the leading figures in evolutionary economic geography.

Ron recalls taking up evolutionary economics while doing a PhD in a mainstream economics programme, and how, before the internet, it took him ten years to find the research community working on the same questions. Turning to European policy, he argues that the competitiveness agenda of the Draghi report risks focusing on a few superstar regions and on building industries from scratch to catch up with the US and China, when Europe and its regions would do better to build on the capabilities they already have, as ASML and the Dutch cut flower industry show. He identifies weak collaboration between EU member states as a large source of untapped potential, explains why building from scratch is a political choice with demanding policy consequences, and introduces his developing work on policy opportunity spaces, which asks how new policies fit with those a region already has in place. He ends with advice for early-career researchers (keep up with new data and methods, read the literature yourself rather than outsourcing it to AI, and work on creativity and on asking the right research questions) and, reflecting on the keyword efficiency, argues that it has no place as a measure of scientific performance.

Find Ron Boschma on the websites of Utrecht University and the University of Stavanger.

Please follow the Centre for Innovation Research and the RegInno Podcast for other episodes.

Episode transcript available soon.

I denne episoden møter Janne Tjensvoll Stangeland Lars Helle til en samtale om forholdet mellom journalistikk og kommunikasjon. Helle har vært journalist og redaktør i nesten 40 år, blant annet som sjefredaktør i Dagbladet og Stavanger Aftenblad.

Hvordan kan to yrker med ulike samfunnsoppdrag samarbeide godt? Og hva skjer med presseetikken når tempoet øker og KI blir en del av hverdagen i redaksjonene?

En av Norges mest leste barnebokforfattere tenker i scener når han skriver. Bjørn F. Rørvik snakker om skriving, høytlesing, humor, fortellerkunst og litt om filming av plattformer i Nordsjøen. Her får du høre hvordan ideer blir til og hva som gjør at bøker som Bukkene Bruse på badeland treffer både barn og voksne.

https://www.uis.no/nb/nasjonalt-lesesenter/forskning/tid-for-lesing

Transkripsjon av episoden

What does it mean to be a Palestinian Christian in a time marked by deep suffering?
Palestinian theologian John Munayer shares his perspectives on Gaza, Palestinian liberation theology, Christian Zionism, and the struggle for peace and equality. The conversation explores the significance of faith in the face of suffering, identity, and the hope for reconciliation between Palestinians and Israelis.
Essential listening for teachers, students, and anyone interested in Palestine, religion, human rights, and peacebuilding.

John and Samule Munayer have edited the book, The Cross and the Olive Tree: Cultivating Palestinian Theology amid Gaza (Orbis, 2025). John works at the Rossing Center for Education and Dialogue in Jerusalem.

Transcript of the episode

Academic lead: Alessandro Falcetta

Can a name influence access to welfare support? In this episode, Assoc Prof Heidi Lie Eriksen and Prof Cornel Maria Nesseler from the University of Stavanger, discuss with Prof Sarah Hean, their field experiment with Norwegian frontline workers, exploring how welfare assessments are made and what their findings reveal about fairness, discretion, and equality in public services. 

EXTRA READING

CONTRIBUTORS AND CREDITS  

Content:  

Editors:  

Episode transcription

Korleis går ein frå kunnskap om kva som skaper eit trygt og godt læringsmiljø i skulen til å oppleve endring i praksis? Og kva kjenneteiknar kompetanseutvikling som gjev varige endringar i skulen?

I denne episoden av «Læringsmiljø i skole og barnehage» har programleiar Maria med seg spesialrådgjevar Guttorm Helgøy ved Læringsmiljøsenteret og Arne Fredrik Rygh, fagleder i PP-tenesta i Nordre Follo kommune, men også ekstern rettleiar i Læringsmiljøprosjektet.

Saman fortel dei om konkrete erfaringar med kva som fungerer – og kva skuleleiarar og tilsette bør gjere annleis dersom kompetanseutviklinga faktisk skal merkast i klasserommet og av elevane.

Transkripsjon av episoden

Faglig ansvarlig: Guttorm Helgøy

How does stigma affect the lives of people experiencing mental health challenges, and what can we do to change it? In this episode of Kafé Mirelle, Professor Sarah Hean (University of Stavanger talks with leading stigma researchers Professor Claire Henderson (Kings College London) and Associate Professor Petra Gronholm (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) about the causes and consequences of mental health stigma, the evidence behind effective anti-stigma interventions, future research directions and why lived experience must be at the heart of creating more inclusive and supportive communities. 

EXTRA READING  

CONTRIBUTORS AND CREDITS  

Content:

Editors:  

Episode transcription

In this episode, Prof Sarah Hean from University of Stavanger talks with Assoc Prof Will McGovern from Northumbria University about stigma, discrimination, and the impact on recovery in the context of substance use. Will explains how stigma develops, how it differs from prejudice as an emotional response to stigma and then the translation into discrimination as a behaviour. They explore the profound impact it can have on individuals, families, and professionals working in support services. The discussion explores self-stigma, compassion fatigue among practitioners, and the importance of creating more empathetic and inclusive services. The conversation also highlights current research, including the National Stigma Indicator project and the development of anti-stigma training for health and social care professionals. Finally, they discuss how research networks, practitioners, and people with lived experience can work together to build local capacity and reduce stigma across different communities, so that we not only not stigmatise but that we actively promote anti stigma practices. 

EXTRA READING  

Dr Will McGovern Recognised for Outstanding Contribution to Newcastle’s Recovery Community 

Northumbria University academic and founding member of the Revival Group receives the Mal Maclean Award for Exceptional Service to the Community at the Revival Recovery Community Awards 2026. 

Dr Will McGovern, Associate Professor of Marginalised Communities at Northumbria University and a founding member of the Revival Group, has been recognised for his outstanding contribution to Newcastle’s recovery community, receiving the Mal Maclean Award for Exceptional Service to the Community at the Revival Recovery Community Awards 2026. 

The awards ceremony, held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Newcastle, brought together around 200 delegates, nominees and representatives from across the city to celebrate the individuals, teams and organisations making a meaningful difference to their communities.  

Dr McGovern was invited to host the event and present the awards to this year’s recipients. In a special and unexpected moment, he was himself named as the recipient of the Mal Maclean Award, recognising his commitment to working alongside communities, championing community involvement and addressing the inequalities and stigma experienced by marginalised groups. 

Celebrating those who make a difference 

The Revival Recovery Community Awards celebrate the people and organisations whose dedication, compassion and courage help build a stronger, more supportive recovery community. They shine a light on the everyday changemakers who step forward, speak out and support others when it matters most. 

With 14 awards recognising achievement across Newcastle, the awards celebrate positive role models, encourage conversations around challenging but essential issues, and inspire others to make a difference in their own communities. 

Recipients are nominated and assessed against the criteria for each award, with voting open to services, organisations, professionals, members of the public and people in recovery across the city. Alongside categories recognising organisations, teams, innovation, leadership, peer support and contributions to recovery, two bespoke awards recognise exceptional achievement and service to the community. 

The Mal Maclean Award is a particularly meaningful recognition of individuals who work alongside people and communities to create positive, lasting change. 

Challenging stigma and improving experiences of care 

Dr McGovern’s award reflects his collaborative work with communities and his commitment to challenging the stigma and discrimination that can prevent people from accessing the support they need. 

A central part of this work is his recent research, funded through the NIHR Three Research Schools Prevention Research Programme, hosted by the NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR), exploring an anti-stigma intervention for health and care staff who work with people who use substances. 

The project, Anti-stigma intervention for health and care staff in contact with people who use substances: A process evaluation, brings together researchers, professional partners and people with lived experience to examine how stigma can be recognised, challenged and reduced in health and social care settings. 

Developed in partnership with people who have experienced stigma relating to substance use, the intervention aims to equip professionals with the knowledge, understanding and practical skills to challenge stigmatising attitudes and behaviours. The research also explores how training can improve professional practice and the experiences of people accessing services. 

Stigma can have serious consequences, contributing to inequalities and creating barriers to support. By placing lived experience and community involvement at the heart of research, this work seeks to help create services that are more accessible, compassionate and responsive to people’s needs. 

The project reflects a wider commitment to challenging stigma, supporting trauma-informed practice and removing obstacles to meaningful support — including being willing to address difficult realities and concerns rather than shy away from them. 

Read more about the research here. 

Bringing research, lived experience and communities together 

The recognition also highlights the importance of collaboration between universities, community organisations, services and people with lived experience. 

Through his work with marginalised communities, Dr McGovern contributes to efforts to ensure that research is informed by the realities of people’s lives and that the knowledge generated can help shape more effective, compassionate practice. 

This approach recognises that meaningful change cannot be achieved by research or services working in isolation. Listening to communities, valuing lived experience and involving people in developing solutions are essential to understanding the barriers people face and creating better outcomes. 

These themes are also explored in The Lantern: Shining a Light on Stigma, Recovery & Community, available to watch on YouTube. 

Continuing the conversation: reducing stigma and addressing trauma 

The work to challenge stigma and improve outcomes for individuals, families and communities will continue at an upcoming regional research conference. 

On 2nd November 2026, Fuse and its partners will host an event: From understanding to action: Reducing stigma, addressing trauma and improving outcomes for women, families and communities at The Catalyst, Newcastle Helix. 

The conference will bring together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, community organisations and experts by experience to explore how stigma, trauma and disadvantage shape people’s lives and, importantly, what can be done differently to improve outcomes. 

The event will provide an opportunity to share research, hear lived-experience perspectives and consider practical approaches to improving policy, services and professional practice. 

Find out more about the conference through the Fuse event page. 

A well-deserved recognition 

Dr McGovern’s receipt of the Mal Maclean Award for Exceptional Service to the Community is a significant recognition of his collaborative work and ongoing commitment to communities in Newcastle. 

His award reflects the values at the heart of the Revival Recovery Community Awards: compassion, courage, meaningful community involvement and a determination to address the issues that matter. 

By bringing research, lived experience and community action together, this work helps keep the focus on what matters most, ensuring that people are treated with dignity, that stigma is challenged, and that everyone has a fairer opportunity to access support and achieve positive outcomes. 

Congratulations to Dr Will McGovern on this well-deserved recognition, and to all the individuals, teams and organisations celebrated at the Revival Recovery Community Awards 2026. 

CONTRIBUTORS AND CREDITS  

  Content:  

Prof Sarah Hean Professor of Social Sciences, University of Stavanger; Norway 

Assoc Prof Will McGovern  Associate Professor within the Department of Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing; Northumbria University, United Kingdom 

Editors:  
Sarah Hean University of Stavanger, Norway  

Wenche Hovland University of Stavanger, Norway  

Episode transcription

In this episode, we first hear the story of Mirelle, told by her mother, Siv Sæbjørnsen. This powerful story inspired both Kafe Mirelle and the MIRELLE Consortium. 

In the second part of the episode, Siv Sæbjørnsen, mother of Mirelle and leader of the MIRELLE Consortium at University College Molde, joins Mira Marlow from the University of Stavanger, a member of the MIRELLE Consortium, to reflect on Mirelle’s story and discuss the challenges, lessons, and wider issues it highlights.

CONTRIBUTORS AND CREDITS  

Siv Sæbjørnsen Professor, University College Molde, Norway 

Mira Marlow Associate Professor, University of Stavanger, Norway 

Sarah Hean , Professor, University of Stavanger, Norway  

  Editors:  

Wenche Hovland, Associate Professor, University of Stavanger, Norway    

Episode transcription