POSTPONED - Levelling up the country or levelling up our city?

Location
Edgbaston Park Hotel 53 Edgbaston Park Road Edgbaston Park Road Birmingham B15 2RS, Writers’ Suite
Dates
Thursday 27 October 2022 (18:00-19:30)
Levelling up the country or levelling up our city

This event is being postponed until early 2023.

Join us at the University of Birmingham campus in Edgbaston for an open panel discussion on the Levelling Up agenda, and what is the role of education and skills in delivering it. Professor Chris Millward will be joined by Andrew Mitchell MP, Anna Jackson, Vice Principal of Birmingham Metropolitan College, and Sajid Gulzar, CEO of Prince Albert Community Trust, to provide their insights and listen to your views on this important initiative.

Described as the ‘defining mission’ of the Johnson government, the Levelling Up agenda aims to reduce economic inequalities between regions in the UK. The Government’s Levelling Up strategy aims to:

  • Boost productivity, pay, jobs and living standards by growing the private sector
  • Spread opportunities and improve public services
  • Restore a sense of community, local pride and belonging
  • Empower local leaders and communities

Whilst the Levelling Up strategy aims to empower local leaders to support their communities, the current systems of governance sometimes work against it. This is because organisations with common local interests are accountable to different parts of national government and its agencies. To support this, it has promised devolution deals for every part of England that wants one, including a deeper deal for the West Midlands and a re-wiring of central government so that all departments are held to account for their impact on local areas.  

This panel discussion will:

  • Share experiences and insights from West Midlands leaders working in local authorities, schools and universities on how they are balancing the interests of their organisations and local communities.
  • Debate what local and national leaders could to ensure that communities are better supported.
  • Hear directly from the audience on their priorities for local authorities and education in their local area. 

This event is open to all – free online registration is required. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.

This event is part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science. Spanning the months of October and November a range of interactive virtual and physical events will be free and open to the public.