School of Government Postgraduate Study (Institute of Local Government Studies)

For over half a century, the Institute of Local Government Studies (INLOGOV) has been the UK's leading centre for teaching and research on public management and government.  We enrich the world of local public service with research evidence and innovative ideas, working closely with central and local governments in the UK and internationally.   

Our staff come from varied disciplinary and professional backgrounds, and regularly work with politicians, managers, communities, partner organisations and a range of university departments to enhance practice through academic insight.  

We are engaged in policy and management research, teaching and consultancy for national and local agencies.  We draw great strength from our close links with the world of practice in local government, the voluntary sector and other public service agencies.  We work closely with leading sector organisations such as the Local Government Association, Society of Local Authority Chief Executives, and the National Graduate Development Programme, as well as individual councils and departments.

Our research explores governance, democracy, leadership, participation, policy-making and service delivery at and across multiple scales and issues.  We seek to ask and address critical questions such as:

How can we design more inclusive and democratic governance?
How can we ensure that smart technology serves us rather than be serviced by us?
How can we understand the policy-making and leadership roles of those involved in delivering public services?

With hundreds of current postgraduate students and thousands of alumni across public services, we provide a vital network for practitioners, managers and academics. 

School Key Contacts

Student Experience Officers

Kerrie Myers: gov-studentexperience@contacts.bham.ac.uk

Contact Kerrie about any aspect of your student experience.

Education Support Officers

Email: inlogov.pg@contacts.bham.ac.uk

Here are the contact details for your Education Support Team. You can contact your administrator when you need support for issues related to the organisation of your course such as timetabling, assessments, lectures and Canvas.

This is also the email address for you to write to if you are unsure where to direct your query.

Wellbeing Team

Email: Gov.wellbeing@contacts.bham.ac.uk

Contact the wellbeing team for pastoral support and any queries about disability support and reasonable adjustments.

Academic leads

Postgraduate Teaching & Learning Director & INLOGOV Senior Tutor

Dr Karin Bottom: k.a.bottom@bham.ac.uk

Programme Director for MSC Public Management

Dr Shailen Popat: s.popat@bham.ac.uk

Degree Apprenticeships

Dr Stephen Jeffares: s.r.jeffares@bham.ac.uk

Distance Learning MPA

Dr Philip Whiteman: p.whiteman@bham.ac.uk

Spotlight on Teaching

Members of INLOGOV are recognised for their outstanding teaching and recently won awards.

Dr Shailen Popat won HEFI Teacher of the Year at the 2022 ceremony – a university-wide prize.

Dr Karin Bottom has an edited book forthcoming in 2022 The Handbook of Teaching Public Administration, (co-edited with John Diamond, Pamela Dunning, and Ian Elliott).

You can find out more about the full-time programme and general facilities here: (https://canvas.bham.ac.uk/courses/43147)

Spotlight on Research

There is lots going on in the department in terms of research.

Timea Nochta and Louise Reardon, INLOGOV, convened a roundtable event as part of their Centre for Research into Energy Demand Solutions (CREDS) funded project, 'Facilitating policy change for low carbon mobility'. It brought together stakeholders from local and central government, charitable organisations, think tanks, and advisory and network groups (including the LGA, Sustrans, IPPR, UK100, Urban transport group, LGIU).

You can learn more about the project here: https://www.creds.ac.uk/facilitating-policy-change-for-low-carbon-mobility-the-role-of-multilevel-governance/

You may like to read recent editions of our alumni magazine as well: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/government/departments/local-government-studies/inlogov-alumni-emagazine/index.aspx.