Chair in City-Region Economies
Cities are potential platforms for progress because they make people and firms more productive. Agglomeration creates positive value and facilitates learning and creativity. It also generates efficiencies for public infrastructure and essential services. Yet urbanisation of the population does not automatically lead to rising prosperity or inclusion, especially if it accompanied by congestion, social instability, public health risks or inflated property prices.
The research seeks to understand the determinants of urban economic success and the obstacles faced in order to improve policy and practice – for government, the private sector and civil society. The intention is to analyse the factors and forces that drive economic development across the urban system, and that help and hinder urbanisation contributing to economic and social development.