Productivity Institute Launches New Policy Unit
The Productivity Institute, the ESRC funded research body based at The University of Manchester, has today launched a new policy unit dedicated to informing government thinking on productivity growth. The unit will be located at the Institute’s London hub at King’s Business School, King’s College London.
The launch of the Productivity Policy Unit comes as the UK government prioritises economic growth, net zero, and the NHS in its five key missions. The unit will play a crucial role in translating research into concrete policy ideas for government decision-makers, fostering knowledge sharing among thought leaders, and providing expert advice on productivity-related issues.
The Productivity Policy Unit will be led by Professor Andy Westwood, the Productivity Institute’s policy director. The unit will also draw on the expertise of leading researchers from the Institute, including Professor Dame Diane Coyle, Stephen Roper, Nigel Driffield, Jagjit Chadha, and Bart van Ark.
Professor Andy Westwood said: “The new government has rightly identified economic growth, net zero, and the NHS as core tenets of our future prosperity. But we won’t markedly improve on any of those areas without addressing our deep-rooted productivity challenges.”
Stian Westlake, executive chair of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), added:
“If we want Britain to prosper and thrive, we need to tackle our dismal productivity problem. By turning research on productivity into actionable advice, the TPI Policy Unit offers an opportunity to turn the UK’s economic fortunes around and get Britain’s economy growing strongly again.”
Professor Dame Diane Coyle, co-director at The Productivity Institute, said: “The scale of the productivity challenge has been laid bare over the past 15 years as growth lagged other developed countries.”
Tera Allas, Director of Research and Economics, McKinsey & Company, Chair of The Productivity Institute Advisory Committee and Honorary Professor at Alliance Manchester Business School, said: “The launch of The Productivity Policy Unit at The Productivity Institute is an important milestone on our journey to address the UK’s productivity challenges. Building on TPI’s strong foundations and rigorous research, this initiative will accelerate the institute’s impact at a time when pro-productivity policies are more critical than ever.”
The Productivity Policy Unit’s work will focus on a range of areas, including local growth plans, the skills agenda, and public sector productivity. The unit will also be home to a team of Productivity Fellows and advisors, including Dr Tim Leunig, Professor Anna Vignoles, Professor Dame Athene Donald, Professor Graeme Roy, Nyasha Weinberg, Jack Shaw, Professor Richard Jones, and Huw Spencer.
The launch of the Productivity Policy Unit marks an important step in addressing the UK’s productivity challenges and ensuring a sustainable and prosperous future for the country.
