Our Research

The role of think tanks is often misunderstood, especially when they delve into controversial public policy questions. Our role is not to push a particular position but to make people think
Nick Hillman – Director, Higher Education Policy Institute

We want to improve the way people live their lives in the Midlands to create a “New Midlands”. This means finding better ways of delivering services that truly meet the needs of Midlands residents both now and in the future. It means using evidence-based research to generate new ideas and concepts which will make the Midlands a more prosperous place to live, work, study, invest and play in.  This forward looking approach – based on factual analysis – will be even more important to the regions which want to rebound forcefully post the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are not a campaigning organisation and are not politically affiliated. Our independence will be based on providing accurate facts to those that need them and ensuring that our funding (both our core costs and research) is transparent.

As an independent organisation, we can ask the questions that others can’t. We can set the agenda for discussion in such a way that others may find difficult to do. We can bring people together in a way that other organisations may be unable to do.

We want to work with business; grant givers; third sector organisations and individuals who want to see the Midlands prosper and share our particular interests within the four major workstreams we have identified – Housing and Communities; Digital; People and Skills; Infrastructure.

The Centre for the New Midlands will:

• Commission and conduct outstanding research – with tangible recommendations for change/action
• Share our research regionally and nationally with key influencers and decision makers from all across the political spectrum
• Provide early career researchers with a platform to demonstrate their outstanding research capabilities
• Host forums and conferences to bring business; third sector; researchers and policy makers together
• Invigorate energised debate through opinion pieces from business, social and political leaders