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 Senior Data Analyst, George Bramley.
What year did you join City-REDI, and what was your first role?
My first role was writing bids to fund my post to demonstrate the demand for evaluation work and rapid evidence reviews before I officially started in March 2018 as a Senior Analyst when Bec, Charlotte and I won five projects.
What’s your most memorable project or moment at City-REDI?
There is pre-pandemic era when we were all in the office together and there was a lot of energy around building a research enterprise including securing WMREDI programme. The most memorable moments include journeys that Anne and I went on collect data in Lincolnshire for the NHS Rural Workforce study and to Shropshire for Marchs LEP local industrial strategy. Winning Connecting Communities evaluation with IES and working with SQW on novel evaluation methodologies to evaluate Research England programmes.
The pandemic era characterised by adaptive agile programme management and responding to real partner needs that help cement our reputation as serious policy institution. I spent a lot of time on business cases to help secure funding for the region and the university until Kelvin, Alice and Hannes joined us in February 2021 and I had work out how to induct and build a team members who were remote working.
The pandemic era just blurred into post pandemic period.
How has your work or role evolved since you started?
My role still requires me to draw on my expertise and experiences from working in world class analytical unit in central government as a boundary spanner between policy and academic research, inputting into policy design and relationship building. I have been able to focus more on different aspects of being a policy analyst as we be able to take on other analysts who I line manage.
Can you share an example of a great collaboration or team effort?
A lot of our projects and work involve collaborative ventures with external partners to City-REDI which we captured in WMREDI report which in itself was considerable team effort. As are the Birmingham Economic Review and evidence base for LIPF.
What areas of research or impact should City-REDI focus on in the next 10 years?
How best to develop evidence-based policy capabilities at local and regional levels
Impacts would include being able to trace in 7 years the impact of inclusive growth interventions that we have helped shape through business cases and as evaluation partners delivering developmental evaluation and initial impact case studies.
This blog was written by George Bramley, Senior Analyst, City-REDI, University of Birmingham
Disclaimer:
The views expressed in this analysis post are those of the authors and not necessarily those of City-REDI / WMREDI or the University of Birmingham.