• 
• Read Observations and keep up to date with the latest reports, research and policy affecting the West Midlands region, with commentary from Observatory staff.

• 11 November 2008
• We currently have a vacancy for a Research Analyst. Further details about the role and how to apply are available from Advantage West Midlands.

• 7 November 2008
• We've changed our State of the Region process to make the evidence we produce more relevant to policy makers' needs.

• 5 November 2008
• New edition of Geographic Information Bulletin published. This edition has features on Centro's corporate GIS solution, deriving an air quality index for the Indices of Multiple Deprivation and news on the upcoming West Midlands GI Day 2008.

• 5 November 2008
• Notes and presentation slides from the five workshops held at our Annual Conference are now available:
• Connecting spatial planning and economic development
• Developing a knowledge economy
• Economic inclusion
• Sustainable communities
• Wider benefits of innovation

• 24 October 2008
• New synthesis report (PDF, 405KB) available from the Graduate Retention, Attraction and Employment Study 2008.

• 22 October 2008
• At our Annual Conference last week we handed out four printed briefing papers on our current research. If you didn't get a copy, download a copy:
  
  State of the Region (PDF, 99KB)
  Regional Integrated Economic Assessment (PDF, 66KB)
  Integrated Policy Model (PDF, 63KB)
  Regional Skills Assessment 2008: Summary for employers (PDF, 59KB)
  Regional Skills Assessment 2008: Summary for individuals and communities (PDF, 59KB)

• 14 October 2008
• At our Annual Conference yesterday, keynote speaker Ian Austin MP gave his first speech since his appointment as Minister for the West Midlands, and launched our new State of the Region Report 2008. Recordings of the speeches are now available to download.

• 30 September 2008
• We hosted a workshop earlier this month at Birmingham City University around NESTA's work to develop a regional innovation index. Presentations from the workshop are now available along with our submission to NESTA's call for ideas.

• 26 September 2008
• Key issues for employers and individuals and communities arising from our 2008 skills assessment work posted on Observations. Add your comments to the articles.

• 22 September 2008
• Presentations from last week's population changes seminar are available to download.

• 1 September 2008
• We're holding a competition, in association with ESRI, for school children to make a map of their local area, being as creative as they possibly can.

• 29 August 2008
• Updated Local Area Agreements 2008 for each the 14 authorities in the West Midlands are now available in the Resource Catalogue.

Subscribe to RSS

• State of the Region Report 2008
  
  This first report from our new annual series draws out key themes emerging from the State of the Region dialogues in 2008, other research undertaken in the West Midlands, and links these themes to wider developments influencing regional policy and strategy.

• West Midlands Regional Integrated Economic Assessment
  
  The West Midlands is the first English region to produce a Regional Integrated Economic Assessment. It aims to provide an assessment of the performance of the region's economy and of the factors which contribute to it. It also assesses the relative position of the different parts of the region.

• University challenge
  
  Our review of the West Midlands' knowledge economy and the demand for higher level skills, published 6th October 2008.

• Skills performance indicator framework for the West Midlands
  
  The indicators have been updated to reflect the 2007 review of performance.

• Graduate Retention, Attraction and Employment Study 2008
  
  Key findings (PDF, 324 KB) are available from our recent research into graduates and employers in the West Midlands.

• Economic Impact of Migrant Workers
  
  Full report, desk study and datasets are available from a new research project exploring the economic impact of migrant workers in the West Midlands.