Publications from City-REDI

A review of the economic and social value produced through funding PhD students
April 2024

This report explores the extensive impacts of PhD study, from enhancing university operations to spillover benefits for society, industry, and personal development. It emphasises the civic role of universities, particularly in relation to place-based strategies and industry relationships. With over £3bn funded into PhD study in 2022/23 by UK Research and Innovation, the report highlights the significant returns for individuals, the Exchequer, and university-industry collaborations. It shares findings from a rapid evidence review on the economic and social impacts of PhDs, advocating for the importance of PhD study within a wider civic mission.

Authors: Johannes Read, Alice Pugh, George Bramley and Rebecca Riley

Find out more about City-REDI's work with the National Civic Impact Accelerator. 

Improving economic statistics in the creative industries: Towards multi-regional creative industries satellite accounts
April 2024

A report for the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre which proposing a comprehensive approach to capturing the true value of creative industries at a regional level. 

Authors:
Dr Matt Lyons, City-REDI and Kevin Connolly, University of Strathclyde. 

Find out more about City-REDI's work with the Creative Policy and Evidence Centre and our Socio-Economic Impact Model for the UK. 

From Vision to Legacy: The Power of Partnership 

A report assessing the legacy of the now defunct Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership. 

Authors: 

Anne Green

Published: 

March 2024

Investing in regional equality – four English examples

A report looking at the nine key lessons learned from international cities who have innovated to successfully overcome significant social and economic inequalities in recent years and whether they can be applied to four English cities. 

Authors: 

Abigail Taylor, Hannes Read, Anne Green and Jeffrey Matsu (CIPFA). 

Published: 

February 2024

West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor 

The monitor produced on a monthly basis and highlights economic developments in the West Midlands and the UK. 

Authors: 

Rebecca Riley, Anne Green and Alice Pugh

Published: 

Since 2020. 

The Monitor began life as the West Midlands Economic Monitor with a focus on the West Midlands. 

The annual Birmingham Economic Review is produced by the University of Birmingham’s City-REDI and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. It is an in-depth exploration of the economy of England’s second city and a high-quality resource for informing research, policy and investment decisions.

View and download the Birmingham Economic Review 2023.

Authors: 

Edited by Alice Pugh and Emily Stubbs (Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce)

Published:

October 2023

The Future Business District

A set of reports for the Colmore Business District looking at the long-term impact of Covid-19 on city centres and asking what city centres can do to remain successful places.  

Authors: 

Anne Green, Rebecca Riley, Alex Smith, Ben Brittain, Hannes Read

Published: 

October 2021

The Future Business District - Summary

Authors:

 Anne Green, Rebecca Riley, Alex Smith, Ben Brittain, Hannes Read

Published: 

October 2021

Find out more about the project. 

The Birmingham Economic Review 2021 was produced by the University of Birmingham’s City-REDI and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, with contributions from the West Midlands Growth Company. It is an in-depth exploration of the economy of England’s second city and is a high quality resource for organisations seeking to understand the city to inform research, policy or investment decisions.

View and download the report.

What does it take to “level up” places? Evidence from international experience
January 2021

Authors: Dr Abigail Taylor, Skye Sampson and Anna Romaniuk

Find out more about this project

City-REDI - WMREDI 2020 Review
September 2020
Authors: Contributions from the whole City-REDI team.

This report provides an overview of City-REDI and WMREDI's work up to 2020.

Understanding the Policy-Making Processes Behind Local Growth Strategies in England
July 2020
Authors: Anna Romaniuk, Catherine Osborne, Emily Rainsford and Abigail Taylor

Find out more about this project. 

Rising to the UK’s Skills Challenges
June 2020
Authors: Dr Abigail Taylor, Professor Anne Green and Hayley Lyons

Rising to the UK's Skill Challenges Conclusion Summary
June 2020
Authors: Professor Anne Green and Dr Abigail Taylor

Find out more about this project. 

Skills System International Case Studies
April 2020
Author: Dr Abigail Taylor

Find out more about this project. 

Workplace Perspectives on Skills

April 2020
Authors: Professor Anne Green and Dr Abigail Taylor

Find out more about this project. 

In 2019, City-REDI compiled a snapshot of key data for the West Midlands. Drawing on the success of the 2018 databook, the 2019-2020 edition provides up-to-date labour market profiles for the West Midlands Region, West Midlands Combined Authority, three Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and over 30 Local Authorities. Together, the booklet provides easy to access data on the region’s productivity, population, employment, skills, and housing.

Download a copy of the West Midland Databook 2019-20.

The Birmingham Economic Review 2019 was produced by the University of Birmingham’s City-REDI and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, with contributions from the West Midlands Growth Company. It is an in-depth exploration of the economy of England’s second city and is a high quality resource for organisations seeking to understand the city to inform research, policy or investment decisions.

Download the Birmingham Economic Review 2019

Download a summary of the Birmingham Economic Review 2019

Policy Briefing: Commercialisation: Bridging the University-Industry Gap
October 2019

Authors: Chloe Billing, Simon Collinson, George Bramley, Elio Di Muccio, Benhildah Rumbwere Dube and Maximilian Margreiter.

Find out more about this project. 

The Realities, Challenges and Strengths of the External Funding Environment at LEP level
March 2019

Author: Abigail Taylor

Find out more about this project. 

This report provides a snapshot of key data for the West Midlands including labour market profiles for the West Midlands Region, West Midlands Combined Authority, three Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and over 30 Local Authorities. The booklet provides easy to access data on the region’s productivity, population, employment, skills, and housing.

Download a copy of the West Midland Databook 2018-19.

The Birmingham Economic Review 2018 was produced by the University of Birmingham’s City-REDI and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, with contributions from the West Midlands Growth Company. It is an in-depth exploration of the economy of England’s second city and is a high quality resource for organisations seeking to understand the city to inform research, policy or investment decisions.

Download the Birmingham Economic Review 2018

Download a summary of the Birmingham Economic Review 2018

Policy Briefing: Brexit Employment Risks by Occupation
May 2019

Authors: Pieter IJtsma, Bart Los

This policy briefing is part of the research project - Economic Impacts of Brexit on the UK, its Regions, its Cities and its Sectors. This project ran from 2017 to 2019 and was led by Professor Raquel Ortega-Argiles. 

This report provides a snapshot of key data for the West Midlands including labour market profiles for the West Midlands Region, West Midlands Combined Authority, three Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and over 30 Local Authorities. The booklet provides easy to access data on the region’s productivity, population, employment, skills, and housing.

Download a copy of the West Midland Databook 2017-18.

The Birmingham Economic Review 2017 was produced by the University of Birmingham’s City-REDI and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, with contributions from the West Midlands Growth Company. It is an in-depth exploration of the economy of England’s second city and is a high quality resource for organisations seeking to understand the city to inform research, policy or investment decisions.

Download the Birmingham Economic Review 2017 

Download a summary of the Birmingham Economic Review 2017

Fuelling City-Regions, why skills matter
July 2017

Authors: Professor Simon Collinson, Professor Anne Green and Rebecca Riley

Issues relating to skills are at the forefront of topical debates about economic prosperity, productivity and inclusive growth. While policy makers at national and sub-national levels have long been concerned with skills levels, skills shortage and skills gaps, devolution and the development of an Industrial Strategy recognising the importance of place have provided even greater impetus to debates about skills at city-region level.

This City-REDI policy briefing sets out why skills matter, with a particular focus on the situation in the city-region covered by the West Midlands Combined Authority. Subsequent policy briefings will focus on other issues relating to skills, including skills mismatches and deficiencies, and skills implications of sectoral approaches to inclusive growth.

The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce partnered with City-REDI and the Marketing Birmingham Regional Observatory to produce a report examining the economy of Birmingham. 

Download the Birmingham Economic Review 2016

• UKES part 1 (PDF - 113KB)
• UKES part 2 (PDF - 115KB) 
• USE-IT (PDF - 237KB) 
• SkillUP (PDF - 3.19KB) 
• Urban Living Birmingham part 1 (PDF - 241KB)
• Urban Living Birmingham part 2 (PDF - 370KB)
• Urban Living Birmingham part 3 (PDF - 735KB) 
• The 21st Century Public Servant  (view the main report, the four-page summary or read our blog on researching the 21st century public service workforce)
• Dynamic Economic Impact Model 
• LARIA

• What is GVA? 
• What is Smart Specialisation? 
• What is Transport Resilience?