Dr Abigail Taylor

• PhD, University of Sheffield (jointly between departments of Geography and French), 2016
• MA French Studies Research Track, University of Sheffield (Distinction), 2010
• BA Hons French Studies, University of Sheffield (First Class), 2009
• Better Business Cases (Practitioner), APMG, 2022
• Better Business Cases (Foundation), APMG, 2021
• Prince 2 Foundation and Practitioner. Passed. Axelos. 2019.

Abigail has recently completed an 18-month 50% secondment to the Industrial Strategy Council where she investigated the process of developing Local Industrial Strategies and international examples of regions which have successfully levelled up. During her secondment, she contributed to/led three reports examining skills investment in the UK and a comparison of UK system and international skills systems, the process of developing Local Industrial Strategies and international evidence on effective place-based interventions. Abigail has recently completed an 18-month 50% secondment. More details on key outputs including webinar launches with Andy Haldane and Dame Kate Barker for the reports are available.

Other previous projects include:

• Managing delivery of a project in conjunction with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) where we produced three reports examining different aspects of regional inequalities. We conducted policy analysis and interviews with policymakers, academics and third sector workers in four global city-regions that have made progress in reducing regional inequalities. We produced case studies of six infrastructure projects across the globe to showcase how alternative systems and approaches can deliver key outcomes to help address regional inequalities. We detailed possible metrics that can be, or are, used to justify, monitor and evaluate the delivery of strategies aimed at addressing regional inequalities. The findings form part of a forthcoming journal article exploring how challenges in left behind places can be addressed.
• conducting a ‘what works’ review of employment support programmes for the West Midlands Combined Authority to support the development of the Employment Support Framework within the WMCA,
• evaluating the Connected Communities Employment Support programme for the West Midlands Combined Authority,
• managing the City Vision project mapping organisation strategies and citizen engagement for Birmingham City Council,
• writing profiles of LEPs within the Midlands Engine and conducting evidence synthesis to understand factors driving productivity performance, synergies and future opportunities across the Midlands as part of Midlands Engine Independent Economic Review.
• working with the Smart Specialisation Hub to map the value of funding from various public and private sector programmes at LEP level and analyse the challenges and strengths in LEPs’ experiences of applying for external funding. 

Prior to joining the University of Birmingham, Abigail worked as a Teaching Associate at Aston University.

Research interests

Abigail’s current research interests lie in regional and local labour markets, skills, institutions, employment support policy and place. Sub interests include future skills mismatches, lifelong learning, funding flows and governance structures.

Current projects

At City-REDI, Abigail works on a variety of applied research projects related to skills, institutions and place. Most recently this includes:

1. leading a WMREDI project examining universities’ broader contribution to skills initiatives, local and regional economic strategies. This project seeks to investigate how local skills ecosystems operate in different places, both within the UK and internationally. It includes a specific focus on the relationship between universities and other types of tertiary education institutions. Key aims include to identify what makes a strong local skills system and use this information to make comparisons with the skills system of England, outlining lessons which city-regions in England can learn from. 
   
   The project involves comparison of skills ecosystems in Cardiff (Wales), Chicago (USA), Leipzig (Germany) and Lille (France). The team are conducting semi-structured interviews with universities, regional/ local authorities, business orgs, 3^rd sector, employers in each place as well as policy analysis.

2. Managing research for the Youth Futures Foundation to identify, describe and map funding flows for young people’s employment and skills from national to local areas. The project is designed to provide evidence for, inform and where applicable, include evidence from two other projects commissioned by YFF as part of the YFF Connected Futures Fund (CFF) - a £16 million fund to support young people to get good jobs through pioneering local partnerships. The fund will be targeted at the following seven localities in England with some of the highest NEET rates and deprivation indicators: Burnley, Hastings, D2N2, Hull, Lewisham, Blackpool and Brent.
   
   The project involves conducting a desk review of existing studies and data pertaining to the flow of national, sub-national, local and international sources of funding to local areas for young people’s employment and skills in England. In addition, the team are seeking to provide more detailed understanding of the nature of funding flows in operation and the challenges and strengths of existing structures and systems through conducting deep dive case studies of funding in selected areas receiving funding from the Connected Futures Fund. This will involve conducting semi-structured interviews with stakeholders in the selected case study area to investigate a) sources of funding, b) aims and priorities of funding, c) funding decision-making, d) the role of young people, outputs and outcomes, e) links between funding and outcomes, f) funding to address challenges for marginalised young people, g) evaluation, h) future funding prospects, and i) funding levers.

3. Extending previous research conducted in conjunction with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) into how inter-regional and intra-regional inequalities have been addressed internationally by shedding light on the transferability of the lessons identified internationally to the English context. This is a key gap in much international case-study research. We will seek to address this gap by examining the relevance of some key reasons for success identified internationally in four city-regions and towns in England. We aim to create fora for dialogue to support policy exchange across places and central, local and regional government to enable learning from the international case study research.

• Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
• City-REDI Early Career Researcher Representative on Birmingham Business School (BBS) Early Career Researcher Committee.
• Active member of the Social Policy Association Employment Core-Group.