Meet Hannes Read, City-REDI’s New Policy and Data Analyst

I have a keen interest in economic development research, policy, and practice. In particular, I am interested in the links between place and the economy. I graduated with a BA in Geography and an MA in Local and Regional Development from Newcastle University. I am fascinated by how each place is unique and distinctive, and … Continue reading “Meet Hannes Read, City-REDI’s New Policy and Data Analyst”

What does the 2025 Spending Review mean for Place-Based Economic Development?

One year on from winning the General Election, the Labour Government have outlined its spending review for 2025. Over the course of the Government’s first year, headlines about public finances have focused on tightening budgets. On the one hand, this Spending Review follows in a similar vein. But there are also relatively significant increases in … Continue reading “What does the 2025 Spending Review mean for Place-Based Economic Development?”

Project Spotlight: National Civic Impact Accelerator

In a new series of blogs, we will be reviewing the current and historical work of City-REDI. In the next blog from this series, we look at the National Civic Impact Accelerator and its recent report on demonstrating the economic impacts of civic universities.  What are the 12 pillars of civic university economic impact?  The … Continue reading “Project Spotlight: National Civic Impact Accelerator”

Demonstrating the Economic Impacts of Civic Universities

Alice Pugh discusses the need for universities to improve how they measure and assess their civic and economic impact, particularly in relation to regional inequalities. It critiques current impact assessments for being overly prescriptive and lacking a clear rationale, urging universities to integrate these assessments into strategic frameworks and develop more dynamic, locally contextualized evaluations … Continue reading “Demonstrating the Economic Impacts of Civic Universities”

Towards a Civic University: Unpacking the Role of PhD Study in Personal Development, Professional Practice, and the World We Live In

In our latest blog, Hannes Read draws on the evidence review from the Review of the Economic and Social Value Produced through Funding PhD Students report as part of the National Civic Impact Accelerator. This blog was first posted on the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) website. The four main audiences for this blog are … Continue reading “Towards a Civic University: Unpacking the Role of PhD Study in Personal Development, Professional Practice, and the World We Live In”

General Election 2024: Whatever Happened to Levelling Up?

Hannes Read and Abigail Taylor look at how in the 2024 election campaign, ‘levelling up’, the initiative to address regional inequalities, has been largely neglected by major parties, despite its ongoing importance. The phrase ‘levelling up’ – which refers to tackling inequality between places – has been cast aside in the 2024 election campaign. There has … Continue reading “General Election 2024: Whatever Happened to Levelling Up?”

City-REDI/WMREDI Round Up – May and June 2024

Events – presenting work/ speaking engagements 7 May, members of City-REDI attended the Birmingham Anchor Network Co-ordination group. 15 May, members of City-REDI attended the Midlands Engine research, intelligence and policy partnership. 16 May, City-REDI held an academic seminar with Helen Jarvis from the University of Newcastle: Civic Universities for a Civil Society: (Un)Learning Habits … Continue reading “City-REDI/WMREDI Round Up – May and June 2024”

CRRESY 7 (City-REDI REsearch SYmposium 7)

On 22nd May 2024, City-REDI hosted its seventh biannual research symposium. The in-person event featured various presentations from City-REDI researchers showcasing some of the institute’s research diversity. This blog from Hannes Read provides an overview of research from the event and his ten top takeaways. Readers are encouraged to contact the presenters for more information on … Continue reading “CRRESY 7 (City-REDI REsearch SYmposium 7)”

“Breathing Life Into Britain’s High Streets”: What Hope Have We Got?

In our latest blog, Hannes Read looks at the Labour Party’s short-term intervention proposals like banking hubs and addressing shoplifting alongside their long-term changes such as reforming business rates to favour high street commerce. The Labour Party are firmly on the election hunt. Quickly off the back of the announcement of Labour’s “five missions” for … Continue reading ““Breathing Life Into Britain’s High Streets”: What Hope Have We Got?”

City-REDI/WMREDI Round Up – March and April 2024

Events – presenting work / speaking engagements 22 March, Alice Pugh and Hannes Read presented at a National Civic Impact Accelerator event –  An Introduction to Developing Business Cases for Civic Engagement Projects. 9 April – Matt Lyons joined a workshop at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre on “Multi-regional input-output in research and development”. … Continue reading “City-REDI/WMREDI Round Up – March and April 2024”