This year marks a major milestone for City-REDI as we celebrate a decade of research, impact, and collaboration. Over the past 10 years, we’ve grown from a bold idea into a leading centre for regional economic development, shaping policy and practice across the UK and beyond.
To mark this anniversary, we’re launching a special blog series that looks back on our journey—highlighting key projects, partnerships, and the people who’ve helped make it all happen.
The next part of our series is from Research Fellow, Annum Rafique.
I joined City-REDI in 2022 as a Research Fellow. From the outset, my role focused on applied, policy-facing research at the intersection of regional economic development and the net-zero transition. What attracted me to City-REDI was its clear emphasis on research that does not sit in isolation, but instead actively feeds into policy design, delivery systems, and real-world decision-making at local, regional, and national levels.
Since joining City-REDI, my role has evolved from contributing to individual research projects to taking on greater responsibility for shaping research direction, leading workstreams, and engaging more directly with policy partners. While the core focus on applied, policy-facing research has remained the same, the scope and influence of my work have expanded. My engagement with external partners has also deepened. I am increasingly involved in stakeholder engagement, workshops, and policy discussions, using research to inform programme design and delivery models.
This evolution has allowed me to bridge research and practice more effectively, and to contribute to City-REDI’s broader mission of delivering rigorous, place-based evidence that supports real-world decision-making.
City-REDI is unique in its ability to successfully bridge academia and policymaking. Projects are shaped around real-world challenges, timelines, and constraints, which makes the work feel purposeful and impactful. There is also a strong culture of collaboration, both internally across disciplines and externally with partners, which encourages learning, innovation, and shared problem-solving. This environment makes City-REDI a place where research is not only intellectually engaging but also directly connected to change on the ground.
If I had to describe City-REDI in three words, they would be: place, policy and practice.
My hope for the future of City-REDI is that it continues to strengthen its role as a trusted evidence partner for policymakers at local, regional, and national levels. I would like to see the centre build deeper, longer-term partnerships and support more ambitious place-based interventions that address complex, systemic challenges. Above all, I hope City-REDI remains a place where research is not just about understanding problems, but about helping to design and deliver solutions that contribute to fairer, more resilient regional economies.
This blog was written by Dr Annum Rafique, Research Fellow City-REDI, University of Birmingham.
Disclaimer:
The views expressed in this analysis post are those of the authors and not necessarily those of City-REDI or the University of Birmingham.