This year marks a major milestone for City-REDI as we celebrate a decade of research, impact, and collaboration. Over the past 10 years, we’ve grown from a bold idea into a leading centre for regional economic development, shaping policy and practice across the UK and beyond.
To mark this anniversary, we’re launching a special blog series that looks back on our journey—highlighting key projects, partnerships, and the people who’ve helped make it all happen.
The next part of our series is from Research Fellow, Dr Huanjia Ma.
I joined City-REDI in 2022, just after finishing my PhD, as a Research Fellow. It is hard to believe that four years have passed so quickly. Looking back, I feel very proud of what we have achieved together during this time.
My work at City-REDI has taken me across a range of projects and topics, many of which were new to me at the beginning. That has been one of the most valuable parts of the experience. I have learned a great deal from colleagues with different skills, perspectives and backgrounds, and that constant exchange of ideas has shaped how I think about regional economics.
One highlight for me was leading my first funded project on digital skills demand and shortages across the UK. We looked at the demand for advanced, intermediate and basic digital skills, and examined how shortages at different levels affect regional economies. The findings showed how uneven and persistent these gaps are, and why long-term action is needed. It was rewarding to see the research feed into policy discussions and help make the case for addressing skills shortages in a more systematic way.
I have also worked on the SEIM-UK project, helping to develop City-REDI’s input-output modelling framework. Together, we built the macro SEIM-UK model, which allows us to explore how different policies might affect regional economies. The model has been used to examine issues such as trade and tariff changes, the role of JLR in the West Midlands, and the economic impact of the BBC in the region. Being part of a team building something so technically demanding, yet directly useful for policymakers, has been a real privilege.
These projects are only a small part of what City-REDI has contributed over the past decade. The centre has secured major initiatives such as WMREDI and LPIP, but more importantly, it has played a real role in shaping regional economic policy. We work with partners across academia, government, industry and the third sector, and that network keeps important conversations going.
Just as important is the culture. City-REDI is supportive, open and collaborative. It is a place where ideas are shared freely and different viewpoints are welcomed.
Looking ahead, I hope City-REDI continues to produce research that is both rigorous and relevant, and that we keep building strong partnerships while exploring new questions about regional change and growth.
This blog was written by Huanjia Ma, Research Fellow at City-REDI, University of Birmingham.
Disclaimer:
The views expressed in this analysis post are those of the author and not necessarily those of City-REDI or the University of Birmingham.