George Bramley summarises the main findings of a new WMREDI report ‘Early Assessment of the West Midlands Innovation Programme’ whilst Dr Jamie Elliot reflects on how the findings have contributed to shaping provision going forward. Programmes to support innovation have tended to be designed centrally focusing on specific aspects of the research, development, and innovation … Continue reading “The West Midlands as a Regional Test bed for Innovation Policy and Support”
Author: George Bramley
Supporting Digitalisation in Birmingham’s Professional Business Financial Service Sector
A new report, in collaboration with The Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership, evaluates a pilot programme utilizing the ‘No Code’ approach to developing apps for businesses in the West Midlands as well as teaching young people digital skills. The Business Professional Financial Services (BPFS) sector is the largest sector by turnover, employment, and … Continue reading “Supporting Digitalisation in Birmingham’s Professional Business Financial Service Sector”
REDI Updates 3: Issues Around Levelling Up Evaluation for Place-Based Interventions
Welcome to REDI-Updates. REDI-Updates aims to get behind the data and translate it into understandable terms. In this edition, WMREDI staff look at the government’s flagship policy – Levelling Up. We look at the challenge of implementing, understanding and measuring levelling up. In this article, George Bramley outlines some of the key factors to consider … Continue reading “REDI Updates 3: Issues Around Levelling Up Evaluation for Place-Based Interventions”
Reflections on Assessing Value for Money at Local Government Level
George Bramley discusses his attendance and presentation at a recent Green Book event, and why these events are so useful for those who commission, produce or review business cases at the local government level. I recently had the opportunity to share my reflections at the ‘Green Book: One Year On: Value for Money’ event in … Continue reading “Reflections on Assessing Value for Money at Local Government Level”
Financial Support for Businesses in the West Midlands During Covid-19
George Bramley discusses the various national and regional financial support schemes that were set up to support businesses in the West Midlands during the pandemic. This blog post was produced for inclusion in the Birmingham Economic Review for 2021. The annual Birmingham Economic Review is produced by City-REDI, University of Birmingham and the Greater Birmingham … Continue reading “Financial Support for Businesses in the West Midlands During Covid-19”
Evaluation During COVID-19: Building Capacity and Fresh Approaches at the Regional and National Level
George Bramley, Senior Analyst, City-REDI / WM REDI and Council Member of the UK Evaluation Society writes about the benefits and importance of evaluation during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how we can use online software to make networking and information sharing more effective. The demand for evaluation is increasing within the region and nationally. Not … Continue reading “Evaluation During COVID-19: Building Capacity and Fresh Approaches at the Regional and National Level”
Capitalising on the Growing Army of Volunteers in the West Midlands During COVID-19
In this Blog, George Bramley discusses how volunteering can help people find, or get back into, long term employment. Volunteering as a response to COVID-19 There has been significant media coverage on the number of NHS Volunteer respondents recruited in response to COVID-19 before recruitment was suspended at 750,000 volunteers nationally so that applications could … Continue reading “Capitalising on the Growing Army of Volunteers in the West Midlands During COVID-19”
City-REDI Presents Evidence at Parliamentary Inquiry on Rural Health and Social Care – 30th October 2018
In our last blog, “Professor Anne Green Presents City-REDI Research at the Parliamentary Launch of the National Centre for Rural Health and Care” we described the research City-REDI and Rose Generation completed this summer on issues around recruitment and retention of NHS and care workers in rural areas and described the aims of the new … Continue reading “City-REDI Presents Evidence at Parliamentary Inquiry on Rural Health and Social Care – 30th October 2018”
Supporting Medtech Companies Market Innovations to Health and Social Care Providers
The United Kingdom, like many advanced economies, has been very effective in developing policies and programmes to support early-stage research and development by entrepreneurs. Innovate UK’s R&D Open Programme (based on previous Smart /Grant for R&D scheme) and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships schemes can draw on over 40 years of development, providing evidence on their effectiveness … Continue reading “Supporting Medtech Companies Market Innovations to Health and Social Care Providers”