School of Social Sciences and Professions staff profiles content store_hidden Diana Stirbu Our staff

Professor Stirbu specialises in public administration and governance reform from a devolved and territorial perspective in the UK, as well as in strategic management in political and public organisations. Her emphasis lies particularly on Welsh and English devolution. More broadly, Diana's work focuses on contemporary issues in parliamentary democracy, such as public engagement, gender representation, and parliamentary governance. More recently, Diana has developed a keen interest in service design with public administration focus.

Professor Stirbu often undertakes advisory and consultancy work in relation to the Welsh Parliament / Senedd Cymru, provides expert advice on constitutional and legislative matters and delivers bespoke executive training for overseas civil servants. She acted as an Independent Trustee for the Centre for Public Scrutiny between 2016 and 2019 and promotes the importance of scrutiny and accountability in the governance process. Diana works closely with the Institute of Welsh Affairs in order to support their policy and governance stream of work.

Professor Stirbu specialises in public administration and governance reform from a devolved and territorial perspective in the UK, as well as in strategic management in political and public organisations. Her emphasis lies particularly on Welsh and English devolution. More broadly, Diana's work focuses on contemporary issues in parliamentary democracy, such as public engagement, gender representation, and parliamentary governance.

Professor Stirbu often undertakes advisory and consultancy work in relation to the Welsh Parliament / Senedd Cymru, provides expert advice on constitutional and legislative matters and delivers bespoke executive training for overseas civil servants. She acted as an Independent Trustee for the Centre for Public Scrutiny between 2016 and 2019 and promotes the importance of scrutiny and accountability in the governance process.

Diana has been appointed by the Welsh Government as a member to the Expert Panel supporting the work of the Independent Commission for the Constitutional Future of Wales.

Professor Stirbu's teaching interests include:

• contemporary issues and debates in public administration and governance public policy design, processes and actors
• strategic management in the context of the public sector and non-profit organisations public service design and innovation
• public service design and innovation in the public sector

Professor Stirbu supports methods teaching for postgraduate research programmes at London Met.

Stirbu D. and McAllister, L. (forthcoming) – ‘The journey towards legislative gender quotas: Lessons from Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament)’, TBC

Prior, A. and Stirbu, D. (forthcoming) – ‘Public Engagement in the Welsh Parliament: Shifting the Dial from Public-Facing to Public-Engaging’, TBC

Stirbu, D. (2021) - 'Power, Influence and Impact of the Senedd Committees. developing a framework for measuring committees' effectiveness', Cardiff: Welsh Parliament.

Stirbu, D., & McAllister, L. (2020) - 'Politics in Wales since devolution.' In The Routledge Handbook of British Politics and Society (pp. 271-284). Routledge. *

Stirbu, D., Larner, J. and McAllister, L. (2018) - ‘Gender Representation in Wales: New Approaches to Candidate Selection in UK’s Devolved Legislatures and Beyond’, in Cordero and Coller (eds.) Democratising Candidate Selection. New Methods, Old receipts?, Palgrave Macmillan. *

Scully, R., Stirbu, S. and Pritchard, W. (2018) - Unpacking Diversity. Barriers and Incentives in Standing for Election to the National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff: National Assembly for Wales. *

Stirbu, D. and McAllister, L. (2018) - Chronicling National Assembly Committees as Markers of Institutional Change, Journal of Legislative Studies, October 2018, DOI: 10.1080/13572334.2018.1516606.

Cole, M., McAllister, L. and Stirbu, D., (2014) ‘The capacity of the National Assembly for Wales’, UK Changing Union Project, Cardiff: WGC.

Stirbu, D.S. (2011) – ‘Female representation beyond Westminster: Lessons from Scotland and Wales’, Political Insight, Vol. 2, no. 3, 32-33.

Stirbu, D. (2011) – ‘Strategic management in parliamentary organisations. The case of shaping the National Assembly for Wales Strategy for 2007/11’, GSTF Proceedings: Annual International Conference on Political Science, Sociology and International Relations, DOI: 10.5176/2251-2403_PSSIR36. **

Stirbu, D.S. and McAllister, L. (2011) – ‘An Exercise in Democratic Deliberation: The All Wales Convention's Contribution to Constitutional Change, Contemporary Wales, Vol. 24, 64-85. **

Stirbu, D.S. (2009) – ‘Instituting Constitutions: The Internal Reconfiguration of the National Assembly for Wales from 2005 to 2007’, Contemporary Wales, Vol. 22, 95-112.

Stirbu, D.S. (2009) – ‘Reclaiming Politics: The Scottish Parliament and the New Politics’, e.Pol - Political Education Forum Journal, Vol. 2, no.1, 25-27. **

McAllister, L. and Stirbu, D.S. (2008) - 'Influence, Impact and Legacy: Assessing the Richard Commission's Contribution to Wales's Evolving Constitution', Representation, Vol. 44, no. 3, 209-224.

McAllister, L. and Stirbu, D.S. (2007) - 'Opportunities for Gender Innovations in a New Political Space', The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, Vol. 1, no.5, 11-18.

McAllister, L. and Stirbu, D.S. (2007) - 'Developing Devolution’s Scrutiny Potential: A Comparative Evaluation of the National Assembly for Wales’s Subject Committees', Policy and Politics, Vol. 35, no.2, 289-309.

* Submitted to REF2021

** Submitted to REF2014

Grants:

• AHRC (pending) | CI in bid exploring lived experience of public’s engagement with UK legislatures | Leeds University (PI) | 2020
• National Assembly for Wales Remuneration Board Co-Investigator | Research into barriers to standing in elections for the National Assembly for Wales | 2017-2018
• ESRC | Co-author of UK’s Changing Union Project report | The Capacity of the National Assembly for Wales | Wales Governance Centre | 2014

Commissioned work:

• GLA, Social Integration and Regeneration Learning Network 2020 | Facilitating peer learning skills development and good practice dissemination across London boroughs
• National Housing Federation, 2019/20 Early Adopters Programme - with Snook and Glasgow University | Supporting NHF and 120 Housing Associations design, test and implement the Together with Tenants Charter
• GLA, Social Integration Design Lab 2018/19 - with Snook and NEF Consulting | Supporting 17 London Boroughs to embed social integration principles in their regeneration work
• WEN Wales, Evaluation of the 2018-19 Mentoring Scheme (with Wales Governance Centre) - Lead | Evaluating the Women in Public & Political Life Mentoring Scheme|

Student awards:

• British Federation for Women Graduates - Ellen Wynne Vanstone Scholarship, 2008.
• Duncan Norman Scholarship (£60,000) - main PhD funding, 2005-08

Funding:

Transformation Fund, London Metropolitan University: £41,400 for research using the practice of community   engagement within the context of regeneration work in London boroughs during the pandemic, with the view to identify gaps and potential needs London local authorities face in terms of designing effective and meaningful   community engagement strategies.

• Academic Fellow of the Welsh Parliament - 2020
• Leading the Social Integration and Regeneration Learning Network - 2020
• Advisory role Institute of Welsh Affairs - since 2017

Professor Stirbu contributes more widely to various media outlets as well as to public consultations and debates, academic and practitioner conferences.

Prof. Stirbu submitted written evidence to Welsh Parliament committees on a number of occasions:

• Submission to the House of Commons Welsh Affairs Select Committee and the National Assembly for Wales Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee in relation to the Draft Wales Bill 2015 
• Written submission to the Business Committee - 2010
• Written submission to the Legislation Committee No. 3 - November 2010

She also appeared as an expert witness in front of the parliamentary committees in the Senedd / Welsh Parliament:

• Oral evidence to the Senedd Electoral Reform Committee - January 2020
• Oral Evidence to the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee - June 2016

A portfolio of her research-based contributions and commentary can be found on her Politics & Governance Insights blog.

Diana acted as an Independent Trustee for the Centre for Public Scrutiny between 2016 and 2019 and promotes the importance of scrutiny and accountability in the governance process.