Media engagements
- Professor Simon Collinson featured on Times Radio on the 22nd October 2020, talking about the impact of Coronavirus on Devolution. The interview starts at 01:36:50.
- Professor John Goddard was featured in an article called “Covid-19 surge on campuses ‘risks poisoning town-gown relations’” in the Times Higher.
- Dr Magda Cepeda Zorrilla has been shortlisted for an award at this year’s Active Travel Media Awards, which are coordinated by the Active Travel Academy at the University of Westminster.
Events – presenting work/speaking engagements
- George Bramley chaired the first online journal club for the UK Evaluation Society in which Cheryl Baldwin discussed her paper with club members on developmental evaluation.
- Civic Universities and Inclusive Local Economic Recovery: How Can Universities Do Even More to Support Regions in Crisis? – Summary of the event
- City-REDI held an online research symposium on the 21st October.
Reports / publications released
- The Birmingham Economic Review 2020 was released on the 20th of October. The launch event featured a welcome from Professor Sir David Eastwood, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham and was chaired by Deborah Leary OBE, Vice President of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. Panellist included Professor Simon Collinson, Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Regional Engagement, Director of the West Midlands Regional Economic Development Institute (WM REDI) and City-REDI, Mark Thurston, Chief Executive Officer, HS2 Ltd, Councillor Brigid Jones, Deputy Leader, Birmingham City Council, Lynne Miles, Deputy Director, Industrial Strategy at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). There were over 180 attendees.
- WM REDI, Black Country Economic Intelligence Unit and the Nottingham Business School produced the Midlands Engine “State of the Region October 2020”.
- Professor Simon Collinson featured in a Birmingham Perspective called “Shock, Risk and Resilience: The Birmingham Economic Review”.
- Liam O’Farrell, City-REDI Associate helped to produce a report called “Britain’s Choice Common Ground and Division in 2020s”.
- Liam O’Farrell, City-REDI Associate released the report “States of Participation: International Best Practice in Civic Engagement”
- Two projects that City-REDI were involved with were mentioned in a new report from the APPG on Housing and Social Mobility called “Communities that Work”. The Just City Project and the USE-IT project were both featured in the report.
Local and Central Government
- Professor John Goddard responded to the private launch on 27th October of the report from Policy Scotland, University of Glasgow, to the Economic Commission for the Glasgow City Region entitled Looking Forward to the Future: the Glasgow City-Region Economy. Policy Scotland performs a similar role to City-REDI/WM REDI in Birmingham and the West Midlands.
- George met with Essex County Council to discuss good practice in evaluation.
- George Bramley attended the first meeting of the Dream team that acts as a forum to share good practice and learning in evaluation and appraisal within the West Midlands.
Awards/ Funding
- George Bramley has been commissioned to evaluate the Pivot and Prosper grant scheme designed to help companies respond to COVID 19.
Look ahead to the coming months…
- George Bramley has been asked to provide a Vlog to be used during Evaluation Matters which is a series of lunchtime events being held between 23rd and 27th November.
- George Bramley has agreed to chair a panel at the Midlands Evaluation Showcase which Professor Anne Green will also be panel member to be held on 5th November.
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