Economic Recovery Post COVID-19: The MIT Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Programme (REAP)

Dr Chloe Billing discusses the goals and objectives of MIT’s Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Programme, the aims of its pilot programme in the UK and what the MIT REAP West Midlands is doing to help the region recover from COVID-19.   In March 2020, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) launched a pilot in the UK … Continue reading “Economic Recovery Post COVID-19: The MIT Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Programme (REAP)”

Research and Development (R&D) Roadmap

Dr Chloe Billing explores the Research and Development opportunities available to the West Midlands, the different funding strands for these and how the region can make the most of them. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a time of uncertainty and posed significant challenges to research and innovation in the UK. This was discussed in my … Continue reading “Research and Development (R&D) Roadmap”

To V or Not to V? Are We Heading for a V-Shaped Recovery?

  Ben Brittain analyses the available data to discuss whether the Bank of England is right in predicting that the UK economy is heading for a V-shaped recovery. The Bank of England has suggested the UK economy is heading for a V-shaped recovery. It has used a variety of indicators to come to its conclusion. … Continue reading “To V or Not to V? Are We Heading for a V-Shaped Recovery?”

Perspectives on Skills and the Value of Training: Trends, Challenges and Priorities

In this blog, Professor Anne Green and Dr Abigail Taylor discuss their new report  “Workplace Perspectives on Skills” examining employer perceptions relating to skills and the value of training, with the aim of understanding the specific skills and skills investment challenges employers face. Previous research for the Industrial Strategy Council highlighted that by 2030, 7 … Continue reading “Perspectives on Skills and the Value of Training: Trends, Challenges and Priorities”

Brexit and UK Manufacturing

Manufacturing is still important The UK is largely seen as a ‘service-based’ economy, which means that services – such as financial, legal, research & development (R&D), real estate and so on – account for the bulk of economic output and employment. Manufacturing, on the other hand, only formally accounts for around 10% of the economy … Continue reading “Brexit and UK Manufacturing”

West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 26th June 2020

WM REDI has been tasked with providing an up to date monitor of the current COVID-19 economic impacts, on a weekly basis. These reports will help regional partners to shape responses and interventions to boost the region’s resilience so that it can thrive going forward. Each week the focus of the report is based on … Continue reading “West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 26th June 2020”

Better Transport Infrastructure Can Increase Well-Being in the West Midlands

Welcome to REDI-Updates. REDI-Updates is a bi-annual publication which will get behind the data and translate it into understandable terms. WM REDI staff and guest contributors will discuss various topics, with this first publication focusing on how inclusive growth can be a tool to tackle regional imbalances across the UK. In this article, Dr Magda Capeda … Continue reading “Better Transport Infrastructure Can Increase Well-Being in the West Midlands”

How Is Brexit Going to Be Affected by the COVID-19 Outbreak?

Professor Raquel Ortega-Argilés looks into the effects COVID-19 will have on Brexit negotiations and the consequences for local regions as well as the United Kingdom as a whole. Since the UK officially left the European Union on 31 January 2020 much has changed. Brexit has gone out of the political focus as both the UK and … Continue reading “How Is Brexit Going to Be Affected by the COVID-19 Outbreak?”

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”

West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 19th June 2020

WM REDI has been tasked with providing an up to date monitor of the current COVID-19 economic impacts, on a weekly basis. These reports will help regional partners to shape responses and interventions to boost the region’s resilience so that it can thrive going forward. Each week the focus of the report is based on … Continue reading “West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 19th June 2020”