Macroeconomics, Financial Linkages and the Regions: Activities

Seminars

A key issue facing the programme is that it has two main concentrations of researchers: one group is based in Glasgow (Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities) and the immediately surrounding area (such as Paisley). The other group is based on the East Coast, principally St Andrews (but also at Dundee and Edinburgh). To overcome this, we will be using funding from SIRE to establish two video conferencing facilities, one based at the University of St Andrews and the other based at the University of Glasgow. Use of these facilities will enable the benefits of the regular seminar series at St Andrews and Glasgow to be disseminated more widely. Details of the current seminar programmes can be found at:

Public Lectures

The programme will run occasional Public Lectures on issues or topics of general interest.

A notable model for such lectures is provided by the The Allander Series of lectures on Scotland’s economic future. Among the eminent speakers were:

  • William Baumol (NYU)
  • Paul Krugman (Princeton)
  • James Heckman (Chicago)
  • Edward Glaeser (Harvard)

The Allander series of lectures have been collected and published in New Wealth for Old Nations eds. D. Coyle, W. Alexander and B. Ashcroft, Princeton University Press.

Twice yearly conferences in Macroeconomics and Regional Economics

These conferences will bring researchers from all round Scotland and international scholars together on a regular basis.

The conferences will be modelled on the highly successful annual CDMA conference, which has been held since 2004. Details of the CDMA conferences are available here.

Occasional workshops and master-classes

Advanced training workshops and master classes will cover recent research developments in key fields as well as research training topics. Some master classes are designed to attract a wider audience, outside the university sector, and contribute to knowledge transfer and CPD. Some workshops / master-classes will fit within the SGPE advanced training programme, which has recently been boosted by ESRC support through a Researcher Development Initiative grant.

As with seminars, use will be made of video-conferencing facilities.

Working Paper series

SIRE plans to develop new peer-reviewed discussion paper series, linked to the three programme themes. The existing discussion paper series of participating economics departments and affiliated research centres indicate the recent and ongoing research interests and activities of SIRE participants. Further information about these series can be found on the Publications page.

‘Policy Notes’ series

The ‘Policy Notes’ series is aimed at a wider, less technically-oriented, readership than the regular Working Paper series. The series aims to raise the profile of policy-relevant work and disseminate it more widely. See the MFLR user engagement.

Visitors Programme

SIRE funding is available to support travel, accommodation and subsistence costs for short term visits (e.g. one to two weeks) to SIRE. Office space, IT facilities and support services are also provided, subject to availability. Since funding and space are limited, preference will be given to visitors whose interests cohere with SIRE programme themes. Further information can be found on the Visitors Programme page. Longer term visits, linked e.g. to a semester or year-long sabbaticals, are also encouraged.

Recent visitors, linked to MFLR programme themes, include: