A Spotlight on the Øresund Bridge, Denmark and Sweden

Gina Coe looks at the experiences of investing in infrastructure, specifically the Øresund Bridge situated in the Øresund Region, to address regional inequality.  Infrastructure investment can boost a region’s economic growth in the short-, medium-, and long-term, as well as working to address regional inequalities and disparities in outcomes. The blog shines a brief spotlight … Continue reading “A Spotlight on the Øresund Bridge, Denmark and Sweden”

Investing in Infrastructure: Best Practice From Bilbao to New South Wales

Abigail Taylor, Anne Green and Gina Coe discuss how governments around the globe have focused on infrastructure investment in attempt to address regional inequalities.  Governments have turned to infrastructure development to stimulate economic growth. From the UK’s Plan for Growth and the European Green Deal to the US’s Build Back Better Plan, infrastructure has been … Continue reading “Investing in Infrastructure: Best Practice From Bilbao to New South Wales”

The ‘2020 Shock’ on the Midlands Automotive Sector

Matt Lyons and Raquel Ortega-Argiles provide an analysis of the economic impact of Brexit and Covid-19 on the automotive sector in the Midlands during 2020. View our Midlands Engine Observatory project page The automotive industry remains an integral part of the national economy. The automotive industry is one of the UK’s major employers, supporting over … Continue reading “The ‘2020 Shock’ on the Midlands Automotive Sector”

Other Countries Have Made Progress in Levelling Up – Here’s How the UK’s Plan Compares

Dr Abigail Taylor looks at how the UK’s approach to levelling up compares with regions that have been successful in reducing inequalities. She draws on recent research she contributed to led by Anne Green, Professor of Regional Economic Development, City-REDI and Jeffrey Matsu, Chief Economist at CIPFA. Liam O’Farrell, Hannes Read, Gina Coe, Ben Brittain, and … Continue reading “Other Countries Have Made Progress in Levelling Up – Here’s How the UK’s Plan Compares”

Levelling Up: Four Problems With Boris Johnson’s Flagship Project

Dr Jack Newman, Professor Nigel Driffield, Professor Nigel Gilbert and Professor Simon Collinson discuss some of the issues with the new Levelling Up White Paper.   The UK government has revealed its plan to level up the country – a white paper setting out policies to tackle inequality between places. The plan comes at a defining moment. It’s … Continue reading “Levelling Up: Four Problems With Boris Johnson’s Flagship Project”

The Levelling Up White Paper is Here – Some Challenges and Key Points to Welcome

Dr Abigail Taylor, Professor Anne Green and Professor Simon Collinson take a look at the recently published Levelling Up White Paper, to assess the likely success of these policies in addressing regional inequality.  The Levelling Up White Paper indicates how the government intends to level up the country through enabling regional economies to grow faster … Continue reading “The Levelling Up White Paper is Here – Some Challenges and Key Points to Welcome”

University R&D and Innovation Are Essential to Government Ambitions for Levelling Up

Professor Simon Collinson highlights the significance of University R&D to regional economics in the UK and why this is so important for levelling up.  This blog was first posted on the Birmingham Brief.  The benefits of economic growth and wealth creation are usually distributed unevenly. Dealing with the increase in socio-economic and spatial inequality requires … Continue reading “University R&D and Innovation Are Essential to Government Ambitions for Levelling Up”

STEM Assets and Regional Growth – What We Know, and What We Don’t

Dr Carolin Ioramashvili and Dr Pei-Yu Yuan discuss their WMREDI project looking at STEM Assets in the West Midlands, starting with a literature review in the area.  Basic research and development, often undertaken by universities is a vital ingredient in the innovation process. Businesses and other organisations rely on scientific insights to develop and improve … Continue reading “STEM Assets and Regional Growth – What We Know, and What We Don’t”

Graduate Pathways: Identifying Patterns of Regional Retention and Attraction

In this blog, Dr Kostas Kollydas discusses his recent WMREDI report co-authored with Professor Anne Green on “Graduate pathways: Identifying patterns of regional retention and attraction”. View the report and project page Report objectives There has been an upsurge in policy interest in levelling up UK regions and exploring the mechanisms that influence the interregional … Continue reading “Graduate Pathways: Identifying Patterns of Regional Retention and Attraction”

Levelling Up Through Innovation

On 25th November 2021, Professor Simon Collinson took part in a House of Commons Select Committee to explore the role of technology, research and innovation in the UK’s recovery from Covid-19. In this blog, Simon discusses some of the key points to come out of the committee.  What are the opportunities and challenges for R&D … Continue reading “Levelling Up Through Innovation”