AIMS
The objective of the RPI is to promote the study of the regulation of economic activity, with a view to deepening our understanding of the drivers and impacts, intended and unintended, of a range of public policies, and thereby to contribute to more effective policy development in the future.
Since the focus of the Institute's activities is on regulatory policy and processes, its work spans a range of traditional disciplines and vocations, including (but not limited to): economics, law, politics, finance, accounting and management studies.
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ACTIVITIES
In furtherance of its objective, the RPI conducts research, both independently and in co-operation with others, undertakes projects on specific issues, organises seminars and conferences, and publishes relevant material. In addition to these principal streams of work, the Institute also engages in related, ancillary activities such as hosting visitors, responding to public consultation documents, and providing support to students engaged in the study of regulation or deregulation.
The range of public policy areas covered by the Institute's activities includes:
Cutting across these specific areas are a number of generic issues in which the Institute has particular interest such as: institutional structures and arrangements, administrative processes and their characteristics, market governance, the supervision and control of regulatory processes, sources of 'regulatory failure', the contribution of regulatory policies to comparative/competitive advantage, risk assessment and control, the impact of regulation on competition, and deregulation and liberalisation.
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ORGANISATION
The RPI is a not-for-profit company, limited by guarantee, and a registered charity. It is governed by a Council of Management, which acts as the Board of Directors under UK company law and the Board of Trustees under charity law. Operational decisions are delegated to a Director, based at offices in central Oxford, UK.
The Institute has both institutional and individual members, together with a wider network of supporters and contacts, drawn from academia, government, the professions and business across the world. Members and supporters participate in the full range of the RPI's activities.
Most research work is based either in Oxford or at Newcastle University, although larger projects frequently involve collaboration with other research centres in the UK, EU and elsewhere. Seminars and conferences are generally held in Oxford or London but the RPI has also made contributions to relevant events in many different countries.
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FINANCE
The principal sources of finance for the RPI are
The Institute aims to maintain diversity in sources of funding, not least so as to underpin its independence and its reputation for authoritative analysis and comment on regulatory policy issues. Further details on ways of supporting the work of the RPI can be found on the Support page.
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