Tolkien and his works are inextricably linked to Birmingham, and hints of Middle-earth can be found across the region. He grew up in Kings Heath, a suburb of the city, and spent a considerable amount of time in Hall Green, home to Moseley Bog, believed to be the inspiration for Fangorn Forest. The city captured … Continue reading “Birmingham Has yet to Embrace Tolkien – Why?”
Category: Policy
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”
Professional and Business Services Sector: Creating Further Demand and Growth Outside London – New Report Released
We are proud to announce that BEIS have just published our report, summarising our research findings on creating demand and growth in the Professional and business service sector. The UK’s poor productivity performance continues to be of much debate in policy and research and is central to the development of the Industrial Strategy. This research … Continue reading “Professional and Business Services Sector: Creating Further Demand and Growth Outside London – New Report Released”
WM REDI Launch Shows the Region Is Ready to Rise to the Challenge
An exciting new University of Birmingham research institute, the West Midlands Regional Economic Development Institute (WM REDI) was launched on Monday 3rd February. It is an unprecedented partnership between key regional organisations and stakeholders, who have come together to find ways to deliver an effective inclusive growth vision and meet the economic challenges and opportunities … Continue reading “WM REDI Launch Shows the Region Is Ready to Rise to the Challenge”
City-REDI Weekly Update – 13th February 2020
Welcome to your weekly update. If you have any feedback please let us know. News John Goddard OBE Joins City-REDI as Professor of Universities and Cities John Goddard, Emeritus Professor of Regional Development Studies at Newcastle University and founder of the Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies (CURDS), is joining City-REDI, University of Birmingham … Continue reading “City-REDI Weekly Update – 13th February 2020”
New Report Released: Governance and Urban Development in Birmingham
For the past three years, an interdisciplinary (and international) team of geographers, political scientists and urban planners working across the universities of Birmingham and Zurich has been studying Birmingham’s urban development, governance, and social and economic trends from the year 2000 to present. Now, as our research project draws to a close, we have reached … Continue reading “New Report Released: Governance and Urban Development in Birmingham”
How Iceland Is Using Digital to Increase Public Participation in Politics
There are a few countries that immediately spring to mind when thinking about e-government, or the digital transformation of public services and using the internet to alter the relationship between the citizen and the state. Estonia is the poster child for this movement, with its digital voting platforms, e-residency for businesses and innovative information-sharing systems … Continue reading “How Iceland Is Using Digital to Increase Public Participation in Politics”
Changing Perceptions of Birmingham
This blog post has been produced to provide insight into the findings of the Birmingham Economic Review. The Birmingham Economic Review 2019 is produced by City-REDI, University of Birmingham and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, with contributions from the West Midlands Growth Company. It is an in-depth exploration of the economy of England’s second … Continue reading “Changing Perceptions of Birmingham”
The Impact of Mega-Events: How Can the West Midlands Make the Most of the Coventry City of Culture 2021 and the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham?
This blog post has been produced to provide insight into the findings of the Birmingham Economic Review. The Birmingham Economic Review 2019 is produced by City-REDI, University of Birmingham and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, with contributions from the West Midlands Growth Company. It is an in-depth exploration of the economy of England’s second … Continue reading “The Impact of Mega-Events: How Can the West Midlands Make the Most of the Coventry City of Culture 2021 and the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham?”
West Midlands Economic Monitor: December 2019
December’s edition of the West Midlands Economic Monitor is now available for you to keep up to date with recent developments in the region. The headlines for this month’s monitor are: Headline West Midlands business activity—accounting for services and manufacturing—has fallen to 49.4, returning to contraction In 2018/19 there were 31,740 apprenticeship starts across the … Continue reading “West Midlands Economic Monitor: December 2019”