West Midlands Impact Monitor – 6 April 2023

This is the 100th edition of the Monitor! The first one was published in late March 2020. At that time, PMI (Purchasing Managers Index) had dropped to 37.1, 1 in 3 businesses had closed due to regulation, Jaguar Land Rover had shut its production plants, and the numbers of calls for business support were increasing … Continue reading “West Midlands Impact Monitor – 6 April 2023”

Smart Energy – An Energy System for the 21st Century

What is smart energy? Annum Rafique discusses what it is, how it works and its potential to help us achieve net-zero. This blog was first published on the College of Social Science blog. Smart Energy has been identified as an energy system for the 21st Century which utilises digital technologies to monitor energy needs, make … Continue reading “Smart Energy – An Energy System for the 21st Century”

The Potential Impact of Youth Social Prescribing in the West Midlands on Employment and the Economy

Joanne Mills from the University of Wolverhampton introduces the Institute for Community Research and Development’s new project with WMREDI to identify the potential impact of youth social prescribing within the West Midlands on employment and the economy. Visit the Institute for Community Research and Development webpage. Read the report and find out more about the … Continue reading “The Potential Impact of Youth Social Prescribing in the West Midlands on Employment and the Economy”

Why are the Over-50s Leaving the Workforce? – Labour Market Flows and Future Participation Flows

Rebecca Riley takes a look at some of the factors behind the over-50s leaving work and what this means for the UK labour market. This blog is part of a series looking at the UK Labour Market. See also: – How do Fertility Rates and Childcare Costs Play out in the UK Labour Market? – … Continue reading “Why are the Over-50s Leaving the Workforce? – Labour Market Flows and Future Participation Flows”

Addressing Regional Inequalities

Abigail Taylor discusses a recent project which examines how four city-regions have made progress in reducing regional inequality. This project is associated with our Levelling Up projects and research, you can find out more information here. This is also a collaboration project with The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), you can download … Continue reading “Addressing Regional Inequalities”

Maximising Universities’ Role in the Local Economy: Evaluating the Impact of Student Knowledge Exchange

Johannes Read and Birindar Kaur Bahia evaluate the impact of the Student Knowledge Exchange Re-Imagined – Removing Barriers, Engaging Communities project, led by Keele University and the University of Birmingham. Universities’ Role in Exchanging Knowledge in the Economy Universities make a significant impact on the local and regional economy. Not only do university staff teach … Continue reading “Maximising Universities’ Role in the Local Economy: Evaluating the Impact of Student Knowledge Exchange”

The Role of Universities in the Growth and Skills Agenda

Tom Lewis from Univerisities UK reports on the recent University Group APPG on 29th November, where they discussed the role of Universities in the growth and skills agenda. The All-Party Parliamentary University Group (APPUG) acts as a key avenue of communication between parliamentarians and vice-chancellors of the UK’s universities, providing an opportunity to examine issues … Continue reading “The Role of Universities in the Growth and Skills Agenda”

City-REDI/WMREDI Round Up – November 2022

Events – presenting work / speaking engagements Pei-Yu Yuan presented “Public procurement and innovation ‘missions’” at The Productivity Institute in-house meeting on 2nd  November 2022. Annum Rafique  presented at the Smart Energy – An Energy System for the 21st Century” at ‘Midlands Engine Research Partnership‘ meeting and at the ‘Midlands Engine Intelligence Committee’ meeting on 10th November … Continue reading “City-REDI/WMREDI Round Up – November 2022”

Birmingham: Future Prospects – Short Term Pain, Long Term Potential

With the release of more economic data on the period impacted by the pandemic, Rebecca Riley looks at the forecasts being built from this data, and what they say about Birmingham. This blog post was produced for inclusion in the Birmingham Economic Review for 2022.  The annual Birmingham Economic Review is produced by the University … Continue reading “Birmingham: Future Prospects – Short Term Pain, Long Term Potential”

The City Index: Comparing The Major Three Cities in the West Midlands

Reen Blake-Carr uses the WMREDI City Index Model to compare the performance of three major cities in the West Midlands – Birmingham, Coventry, and Wolverhampton. View the City Index, part of the WMREDI Data Lab. About the City Index The City Index looks at different cities in the region and evaluates them based on 10 … Continue reading “The City Index: Comparing The Major Three Cities in the West Midlands”