About City-REDI

Most of the world’s population lives in city-regions and more than 80% of global GDP is generated in cities. Cities also consume close to 2/3 of the world’s energy and account for more than 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The growth of city-regions can be sustainable and beneficial to all if we can increase productivity and enable innovation to combat the challenges of transport and energy infrastructures, affordable housing and basic services.

City-REDI was established by the University of Birmingham with over £4 million of investment to support regional economic growth policy and practice through engaged and relevant research. Our core objective is to help accelerate economic growth in the West Midlands city-region. We develop forecasts and impact studies to map alternative approaches to improving the region’s economic prospects. But we are equally concerned with ensuring that growth is inclusive, that government policies and corporate practices improve the life chances of all in the region, as well as lift the competitiveness and performance of our regional economy. Reducing inter-regional inequality across the UK and intra-regional inequalities in the West Midlands is a central goal.

Our team is made up of academics and consultancy services staff as a hybrid approach bringing academic rigour to consultancy delivery. Four world leading professors with expertise in international business, local economic development, innovation and investment, skills supply and labour markets and with a cross team focus on a smart specialisation approach to city region growth. We are an integral part of the Triple A rated Business School and Russell Group university.

City-REDI’s area of expertise includes:

  • Systemic economic modelling
  • Complex systems analysis
  • Policy and strategy development
  • Monitoring and evaluation
  • Productivity and growth
  • Inclusive growth
  • Skills and labour markets
  • Smart specialisation and asset-based growth
  • Innovation and competitiveness
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Diversity in the workforce and enterprise
  • Sector analysis
  • Inward investment and international business
  • High value manufacturing
  • Supply chain analysis

City-REDI works globally but we are proud to support the development of the West Midlands.  The City-REDI proposal has been developed in consultation with a number of regional and national organisations including:

  • Birmingham City Council
  • Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce
  • Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
  • Private sector partners in the West Midlands region
  • Centre for Cities, Midlands Connect and Midlands Innovation