Background

Making city economies more inclusive and sustainable has become a pressing priority for politicians and public policymakers in the contemporary era of rising social and geographical inequalities.

While cities are seen as dynamic and productive engines of their national economies, the potential benefits they can generate are not always equally shared nor accessible to their residents. Generating and spreading opportunity more widely is central to ensuring people and places are not ‘left behind’ by their evolving city economies.

This event aims to bring together academics and policymakers from France, the UK, and US to share their ideas, innovations, and practices in building inclusive and sustainable economies in cities.

Pittsburgh is a longstanding pioneer in developing an inclusive urban economy, innovating in its idea of ‘equitable development’ and the path to an ‘All-In’ city strategy through ensuring “everyone participates in and benefits from the region’s economic transformation”.

In Newcastle, the city council has commissioned the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES) to develop a more inclusive economic development plan that aims to build “prosperity through fairer opportunities and outcomes for every resident”.

Urban institutions in Saint-Étienne have been seeking to address the inequalities associated with current growth trajectories and especially inclusion for international migrants.

This workshop will engage academics and policymakers in active exchange and learning focused around identifying the key issues, challenges, and barriers to building inclusive economies in cities and how they can be overcome. It will involve a mix of presentations, responses, and discussion.

The outputs will include a policy briefing on transatlantic learning from the workshop and potential policy impacts, future funding bids, and follow-up activities. The outcomes will be enhanced strategies and policies for inclusive and sustainable economies in the participating cities. The event is also of relevance and will contribute to the Insights North East work package on inclusive growth and inclusive innovation.

Programme

Thursday 9 March 2023

Day 1: Inclusive and sustainable city economies – concepts and theories of change

Key themes:

• Ideas and definitions of inclusive and sustainable city economies
• Engaging diverse communities for inclusion
• Using concepts and theories of change to formulate strategy and policies

 

10:30 Welcome, registration, and refreshments

 

11:00 Session 1: Introduction and aims of the workshop and day 1

Welcome: Chris Day (Newcastle University)
Participant introductions
Chair: Andy Pike (CURDS, Newcastle University)
Opening presentation: Karen Chapple (University of Toronto) – Equitable and sustainable city economies
Responses and discussion panel: Annabel Smith (Centre for Progressive Policy and the Inclusive Growth Network), David Waite (University of Glasgow), Louise Kempton (Insights NE and CURDS, Newcastle University)

 

12:30 Lunch

 

13:15 Session 2: Defining inclusive and sustainable economies in cities

Key themes:

• Definitions of inclusive and sustainable economies in cities
• Relationships between equity, opportunities, and outcomes
• Tensions between conventional and alternative definitions and concepts

Chair: Emma Ormerod (CURDS, Newcastle University)
Opening presentation: Anne Green (University of Birmingham) - Inclusive and sustainable growth in cities
Responses and discussion panel: Sabina Deitrick (University of Pittsburgh), Richard Crisp (Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research, Sheffield Hallam University), Danny MacKinnon (CURDS, Newcastle University)

 

14:45 Break and refreshments

 

15:15 Session 3: Inclusion and diverse communities in cities

Key themes:

• Understanding diversity, difference, and inclusion
• Addressing inclusion for existing communities
• Generating inclusion for new arrivals and people in migration

Chair: Danny MacKinnon (CURDS, Newcastle University)
Opening presentation: Aisling Healy (Université Jean Monnet Saint-Étienne) – the Saint-Étienne experience
Responses and discussion panel: Emma Ormerod (CURDS, Newcastle University), Michael Glass (University of Pittsburgh), Ceri Hughes (University of Manchester), Matt Wilton (Newcastle City Council)

 

16:30 Session 4 - Feedback and learning from day 1 and connections to day 2

Chair: Andy Pike (Newcastle University)

 

19:00 Workshop dinner – El Coto, Newcastle

 

Friday 10 March 2023

Day 2: Inclusive and sustainable city economies – policy and practice

 

9:30 Welcome and refreshments

 

10:00 Session 1: Introduction and aims of day 2

Key themes:

• Translating concepts and theories of change into strategy, policy, and practice
• Doing inclusive and sustainable city policy and practice on the ground
• Funding, financing and governing policy
• Learning and translating international knowledges and experiences

Chair: Liz Shutt (Insights North East, Newcastle University)
Opening presentation: Majestic Lane (Chief Equity Officer, Allegheny Conference on Community Development) – the Pittsburgh experience
Responses and discussion panel: Aisling Healy (Université Jean Monnet Saint-Étienne), Sarah Longlands (CLES), Andy Pike (CURDS, Newcastle University)

 

11:15 Break and refreshments

 

11:45 Session 2: International learning from policy and practice

Key themes:

• Balancing economic, social, environmental, cultural, and political concerns
• Formulating policy in different national, regional, and local settings
• Tailoring policies to the needs of different people and places

Chair: Sabina Deitrick (University of Pittsburgh)
Short interventions and discussion: 

• Anne Green (City Region Economic Development Institute (City REDI), University of Birmingham) – international policies
• Majestic Lane (Chief Equity Officer, Allegheny Conference on Community Development) – the Pittsburgh experience
• Sakina Bakha (Université Jean Monnet Saint-Étienne) – the Saint-Étienne and Lyon experience
• Ceri Hughes (University of Manchester) – The Greater Manchester Inclusive Growth Analysis Unit

 

13:00 Lunch

 

13:45 Session 3: Measurement, monitoring, and evaluation

Key themes:

• Indicators and evidence
• Data availability and issues
• Analytical strategies and frameworks

Chair: Liz Shutt (CURDS, Insights North East and Newcastle University)
Short interventions and discussion: Tina Beatty (Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research (CRESR), Sheffield Hallam University), Karen Chapple (University of Toronto), Olha Krasovska (North of Tyne Combined Authority), David Marlow (CURDS, Newcastle University, and Third Life Economics)

 

15:15 Break and refreshments

 

15:45 Session 4: Articulating the policy agenda and priorities

Key themes:

• Visions and ambitions for inclusive and sustainable city economies
• Policy priorities
• Asks for local, regional and national institutions

Chair: Danny MacKinnon (CURDS, Newcastle University)
Short interventions and discussion: Karen Chapple (University of Toronto), David Charles (University of Northumbria), Sarah Longlands (CLES), Majestic Lane (Chief Equity Officer, Allegheny Conference on Community Development), Victoria Keen (Karbon Homes), Alex Black (North of Tyne Combined Authority)

 

17:00 Session 5: Wrap-up and next steps

Key themes:

• Codifying and sharing the learning from the workshop
• Potential joint projects
• Funding opportunities

Chair: Andy Pike (CURDS, Newcastle University)

 

17:30 Workshop end and participant departure

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