Engaging Universities in ‘Pride in Place’ and Levelling Up

  In June, Rebecca Riley, Anne Green and Des McNulty published a paper, Engaging universities in ‘Pride in Place’ and levelling up. In this blog we look back at the Universities and Region Forum: Universities, Pride in Place and Levelling Up policy briefing, on which the paper was based. The Levelling Up White Paper from 2022 … Continue reading “Engaging Universities in ‘Pride in Place’ and Levelling Up”

Expert Insight: Developing Skills for Innovation and Business Growth in the West Midlands

Anne Green, Professor of Regional Economic Development and Co-Director of City-REDI, University of Birmingham, is a commissioner for the Business Commission West Midlands. She has been supporting engagement in the region’s business community and the creation of the final ‘Roadmap for Business Growth’ report. In this blog, Anne reflects on her role in the commission … Continue reading “Expert Insight: Developing Skills for Innovation and Business Growth in the West Midlands”

Improving Public Funding Allocations to Reduce Geographical Inequalities

This blog shares details of a new project called ‘Improving public funding allocations to reduce geographical inequalities’, involving an inter-disciplinary multi-institution team led by Charlotte Hoole (Principal Investigator), Anne Green, Sheela Agarwal, Sarah Ayres, Jon Burchell, Ceri Davies, Jonathan Davies, Mike Emmerich, Daniel Mutibwa and Andy Pike, with James Gilmour, Abigail Taylor and Sanne Velthuis. … Continue reading “Improving Public Funding Allocations to Reduce Geographical Inequalities”

Vision to Legacy

Anne Green looks back at the achievements of the now-defunct Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP), summarising some of the findings from our report about the partnership – From Vision to Legacy. What were the Local Enterprise Partnerships? Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) were non-statutory bodies responsible for local economic development in England, until … Continue reading “Vision to Legacy”

Addressing the Divide: The Impact of University-Related Migration on the UK’s Subregions and Policy Roadmap

Kostas Kollydas and Anne Green summarise the findings from a recent study with Tony Champion on the impact of university-related migration on the UK’s subregions. This blog was first published by the Higher Education Policy Institute. In their recent study, “The gainers and losers from the United Kingdom’s university-related migration: A subregional analysis of Graduate … Continue reading “Addressing the Divide: The Impact of University-Related Migration on the UK’s Subregions and Policy Roadmap”

The Gainers and Losers From the United Kingdom’s University‐Related Migration

A new research paper by Professor Tony Champion, Professor Anne Green and Dr Kostas Kollydas, published in Population, Space and Place, delves into the dynamics of university-related migration in the UK and its implications on spatial disparities, with a keen focus on subregional impacts. Background The motivation for this research was the significant increase in … Continue reading “The Gainers and Losers From the United Kingdom’s University‐Related Migration”

West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 23 February 2024

The UK economy entered a recession at the end of last year. Meanwhile at the global scale growth has been revised upwards to just over 3% in 2024 and 2025, but below the historical norm that is closer to 4%. Regionally, business confidence is increasing.  Global trends The IMF has released its World Economic Outlook … Continue reading “West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 23 February 2024”

West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 26 January 2024

A slow Christmas for retailers hints at the continuing issues with sluggish growth seen globally, with forecasts struggling to revise upwards. A continuing bumpy ride for China is having global ramifications. Food prices are rising, as are those goods most affected by Brexit. Future prospects for the West Midlands seem mixed. Growth outlook The World … Continue reading “West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 26 January 2024”

West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 15 December 2023

As 2023 draws to a close, the challenges of inflation (although falling) and low growth remain. The cost of living, the NHS and the economy are key concerns for the general public. However, businesses in the West Midlands are still optimistic as indicated by the Future Business Activity Index. Global, national and regional outlook The … Continue reading “West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 15 December 2023”

REDI-Updates: How Does the Cost-Of-Living Crisis Impact People’s Health and Well-Being?

The latest edition of REDI-Updates is out now – providing expert data insights and clear policy guidance. In this edition, the WMREDI team investigates what factors are contributing to the cost-of-living crisis and the impact it is having on households, businesses, public services and the third sector. We also look at how the crisis in … Continue reading “REDI-Updates: How Does the Cost-Of-Living Crisis Impact People’s Health and Well-Being?”