The Nexus of Innovation

Simon Collinson, Fengjie Pan and Pei-Yu Yuan examine Research and Development (R&D) funding in the UK. Does it create equal regional growth across the country? This blog post was produced for inclusion in the Birmingham Economic Review for 2022. The annual Birmingham Economic Review is produced by the University of Birmingham’s City-REDI and the Greater … Continue reading “The Nexus of Innovation”

Autumn Statement 2022: Implications for Research, Development and Innovation

Kelvin Humphreys looks at the impact of the Autumn Statement on Research, Development and Innovation in the UK. Last week’s Autumn Statement set the scene for £30bn in spending cuts and £25bn in tax rises to plug a £55bn hole in the public finances by 2027/28. All departments except for health and social care and … Continue reading “Autumn Statement 2022: Implications for Research, Development and Innovation”

Political Party Approaches to University R&D and Innovation in the UK

Steve Barwick writes about the approaches of the UK’s two major political parties to University R&D and Innovation. City-REDI / WMREDI, University of Birmingham recently hosted fringe meetings at both the Labour and Conservative Party Conferences in order to gauge and explore the respective political party’s approach to university R&D and innovation, including its role … Continue reading “Political Party Approaches to University R&D and Innovation in the UK”

Challenges and Opportunities for Social Science Innovation Hubs – SPARK @ Cardiff University

SPARK Cardiff University celebrated its official opening on Thursday 9th June. Special guests from the worlds of social science research-led innovation, politics, the third sector and government attended the ‘celebration of society’s super-lab.’ This is the first  of a series of blogs from the event’s four panellists, Professor John Goddard OBE, Emeritus  Professor of Regional … Continue reading “Challenges and Opportunities for Social Science Innovation Hubs – SPARK @ Cardiff University”

How Does the Innovation Performance of the West Midlands Rank on the National and International Stage?

Kelvin Humphreys and colleagues use World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO) annual Global Innovation Index to assess how innovative the West Midlands is. This is part of a series of blogs looking at Innovation in the West Midlands. Find out more about our work on regional innovation systems. Summary This analysis compares the innovation performance of … Continue reading “How Does the Innovation Performance of the West Midlands Rank on the National and International Stage?”

Rethinking Public Procurement for Post-COVID Recovery

Malcolm Harbour CBE from Connected Places Catapult examines how the public sector can use procurement to drive innovation in Birmingham and the West Midlands. This blog post was produced for inclusion in the Birmingham Economic Review for 2021. The annual Birmingham Economic Review is produced by City-REDI, University of Birmingham and the Greater Birmingham Chambers … Continue reading “Rethinking Public Procurement for Post-COVID Recovery”

University R&D and Innovation Are Essential to Government Ambitions for Levelling Up

Professor Simon Collinson highlights the significance of University R&D to regional economics in the UK and why this is so important for levelling up.  This blog was first posted on the Birmingham Brief.  The benefits of economic growth and wealth creation are usually distributed unevenly. Dealing with the increase in socio-economic and spatial inequality requires … Continue reading “University R&D and Innovation Are Essential to Government Ambitions for Levelling Up”

Small Business Leaders Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic – Foundations for Recovery?

Professor Mark Hart discusses the impact of Covid-19, financial support from the Government and the adoption of digital technology on SMEs. This blog post was produced for inclusion in the Birmingham Economic Review for 2021. The annual Birmingham Economic Review is produced by City-REDI, University of Birmingham and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. It … Continue reading “Small Business Leaders Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic – Foundations for Recovery?”

Levelling Up Through Innovation

On 25th November 2021, Professor Simon Collinson took part in a House of Commons Select Committee to explore the role of technology, research and innovation in the UK’s recovery from Covid-19. In this blog, Simon discusses some of the key points to come out of the committee.  What are the opportunities and challenges for R&D … Continue reading “Levelling Up Through Innovation”

Combining Growth and Levelling Up in UK Regions: How Universities and the Social Sciences Can Help

In this piece, Professor Simon Collinson describes the crucial roles to be played by city-regions and by universities if we are going to level up effectively. This article was first posted on the Academy of Social Sciences website.  Over the next few years, the UK faces further challenges which, like the economic impacts of Covid, … Continue reading “Combining Growth and Levelling Up in UK Regions: How Universities and the Social Sciences Can Help”