The Role of Universities in ‘Levelling Up’ the Region Post-Pandemic

John Goddard discusses the challenges of ‘levelling up’ within the higher education sector and how they can play a leading role going forward, post-pandemic. The challenges of ‘levelling-up’ cities and regions of the country will not go away. Universities can and do play a leading role as ‘anchor institutions’ throughout the country with a huge … Continue reading “The Role of Universities in ‘Levelling Up’ the Region Post-Pandemic”

Challenges and Opportunities for Social Science Innovation Hubs – SPARK @ Cardiff University

SPARK Cardiff University celebrated its official opening on Thursday 9th June. Special guests from the worlds of social science research-led innovation, politics, the third sector and government attended the ‘celebration of society’s super-lab.’ This is the first  of a series of blogs from the event’s four panellists, Professor John Goddard OBE, Emeritus  Professor of Regional … Continue reading “Challenges and Opportunities for Social Science Innovation Hubs – SPARK @ Cardiff University”

Mobilising the Power of Universities in Levelling-Up: A new Universities and Regions Policy Forum

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 blog, Professor John Goddard, with Rebecca Riley, Professor Anne Green, Professor … Continue reading “Mobilising the Power of Universities in Levelling-Up: A new Universities and Regions Policy Forum”

Universities and Levelling Up Policy Forum – Setting the Scene

This blog, by Des McNulty, Mike Boxall, Chris Millward and John Goddard, is the first outcome of a dialogue involving senior participants from universities, government and a variety of civic organisations to (i) discuss the role Universities might play in the implementation of the levelling up agenda and (ii) scope out the White Paper’s implications … Continue reading “Universities and Levelling Up Policy Forum – Setting the Scene”

Science, Universities and Rebalancing the UK Economy: A Provocation   

Professor John Goddard suggests how targeted R&D spending in universities could help rebalance the UK economy regionally.  R&D Spending and the ‘levelling up’ agenda The Conservative Party’s election manifesto pledged to spend £22bn per annum on research by 2024-25. Many argued that this could only be justified if the research system moves towards supporting the … Continue reading “Science, Universities and Rebalancing the UK Economy: A Provocation   “

Civic Engagement, Universities and Inclusive Growth: Responding to COVID-19

On the 30th September, City-REDI / WM REDI and the Civic University Network will be holding an event called “Civic Universities and Inclusive Local Economic Recovery“. The event will begin with a discussion between Lord Robert Kerslake (Chair of the Civic University Commission) Lord David Willetts (President – Resolution Foundation) and Sarah Davidson (CEO – … Continue reading “Civic Engagement, Universities and Inclusive Growth: Responding to COVID-19”

Universities and the Recovery of Local Communities From the COVID-19 Crisis: A Role for the Social Sciences

In this blog, Professor John Goddard and Des McNulty discuss how COVID-19 provides an opportunity for social science and universities to contribute to the recovery and renewal not just of the nation, but of their areas and regions, contributing to ‘levelling up’. It was originally commissioned and published by the Campaign for Social Science as … Continue reading “Universities and the Recovery of Local Communities From the COVID-19 Crisis: A Role for the Social Sciences”

The Role of Civic Universities in the Coronavirus Crisis and Beyond

I joined City-REDI / WM REDI in a very different world to the one in which universities are now operating and which is having and will have a profound effect on how we work with our cities and regions. It is therefore important that groups like City-REDI / WM REDI contribute their analytical capacity to … Continue reading “The Role of Civic Universities in the Coronavirus Crisis and Beyond”

Meet John Goddard – Professor of Universities and Cities, City-REDI / WM REDI, University of Birmingham

I have joined City-REDI / WM REDI with the principal purpose of building a network of research-intensive universities focussing on their role in city and regional development having led research, policy and practice in this area locally, nationally and internationally over several decades.  My work on this theme started in CURDS in the 1980s where … Continue reading “Meet John Goddard – Professor of Universities and Cities, City-REDI / WM REDI, University of Birmingham”