What is Smart Specialisation?

Welcome to part two in our new series “What is…?” where we explain the language, terms and ideas used in our day-to-day work.  Other blogs from the series include: What is GVA?  What is Transport Resilience? What are Industrial Clusters and Economies of Agglomeration? Definition and description Smart specialisation is a policy framework aimed at … Continue reading “What is Smart Specialisation?”

West Midlands Economic Monitor: July 2019

July’s edition of the West Midlands Economic Monitor is now available for you to keep up to date with recent developments in the region. This month’s monitor looks at the Midlands Rail Hub, digital skills, Quantum Technology Hubs, air pollution, and as always features analysis of the latest data about the region’s economic performance. Get … Continue reading “West Midlands Economic Monitor: July 2019”

Strengthening the Weapons of the Weak: Informality, Urban Reforms and Sub-Sahara African Cities

It is widely known that Africa during this century will experience significant demographic growth combined with enhanced urbanization. Managing urbanization and conducting urban reform in Sub-Sahara African cities is extremely challenging. There has been on-going international support to enhance city living including research and evidence on the strength of informal economies, informal settlements and informal … Continue reading “Strengthening the Weapons of the Weak: Informality, Urban Reforms and Sub-Sahara African Cities”

Economic Resilience: The Role of Industrial Structure

City-REDI has prepared this brief to inform the debate on economic resilience. It draws on resilience research at the Institute and elsewhere and is prepared under funding provided by the Economic and Social Research Council (ES/S011226/1). It discusses the concept of resilience in political discourse at the national level and then considers the importance of … Continue reading “Economic Resilience: The Role of Industrial Structure”

Meet Juliane Schwarz – Research Fellow at City-REDI

My name is Juliane and I’m a Research Fellow at City-REDI since October last year. Originally from the South of Germany, I made the UK my home at the start of this millennium. My connections to the Midlands has been growing ever since, though I have also spent some time in the North of England … Continue reading “Meet Juliane Schwarz – Research Fellow at City-REDI”

Precarious Lives or Resilient Living? Homelessness and the West Midlands Combined Authority Area

I still reflect on ideas that were introduced to me during my undergraduate degree. I have an unusual first degree. This was a four-year degree. In the first year, I had to take modules from three disciplines and until the end of the third year, my module selection had to include one from the natural … Continue reading “Precarious Lives or Resilient Living? Homelessness and the West Midlands Combined Authority Area”