CPD, training and skills in Local and Regional Economic Development
Expert knowledge, proven frameworks, and practical tools for local authority officers, consultants, and practitioners delivering regional growth strategies, innovation programmes, and place-based policy – built from 32 years of working in the field
- 15 hours of on-demand courses covering the 8 disciplines of local and regional economic development
- Practical workbooks (e.g. FDI from scratch; develop a great project idea)
- Community, chatrooms, discussion
- Mentoring and coaching support
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
- Skills and training in local and regional economic development
The Local and Regional Economic Development Handbook
The Practitioner’s Guide for Everyone Whose Work Shapes Places and Economies
Whether you work in planning, property, higher education, skills, government, or community development — the economic forces reshaping UK places are directly reshaping your work. And if you work in economic development itself, you’ve never had a handbook like this one.
The Local & Regional Economic Development Handbook is the comprehensive, honest, practitioner-authored guide to how local economies work, why economic development so often fails to deliver what it promises, and what those working in and around the field can do differently.
Endorsements
“A big shout out to Glenn Athey who has taken his many years in economic development consultancy and created Economic Development World (www.economicdevelopment.world), the UK’s first online community for local and regional economic development that provides CPD, on-demand lean learning, a community of peers and workbooks. Built on three pillars of accelerated learning, shared knowledge and community support, it is a fabulous resource for our industry.
“From what I have seen already, this has the potential to create a step change in how the UK delivers economic development, putting the skills and development of practitioners, whether newbies or old hands, front and centre. Get yourselves signed up, get involved and support this great initiative.”
Adam Breeze, Breeze Strategy
“2026 has to be the year that economic development professionals take the important steps, from policy comment, strategic views, to decisive practictioner application and delivery. Critical is to have an accessible platform for CPD, training, and a focused community to ask questions and discuss best practice and aspects of local and regional economic development. I am delighted that an established and respected colleague Glenn Athey has founded and created this resource on www.economicdevelopment.world .”
Mark Pearson, Head of Economic Development, Reading's Economy & Destination Agency (REDA)

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Founded by Glenn Athey, an Economic Development Professional and Advisor With 32 Years of Supporting UK Economic Development
LPIP Fellow, University of Birmingham
Author of "The Local and Regional Economic Development Handbook"
Latest News and Advice
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External news
Regional Economies: Top economist Mohamed El-Erian warns of stagflation gripping the entire world economy the longer the Iran war goes on
Source: Regional Economies Author: Tristan Bove Date published: 2026-03-03 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] The global economy has withstood plenty of turmoil in the past few years, staving off a widely predicted recession in 2022, but the...
Regional Economies: Stock markets slump amid Iran war as gas prices jump 30% to three-year high
Source: Regional Economies Author: Julia Kollewe and Graeme Wearden in London and Lauren Aratani in New York Date published: 2026-03-03 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] The war in the Middle East has plunged financial markets into turmoil...
Regional Economies: Iran War Poses New Risk to US Economic Resilience
Source: Regional Economies Author: unknown Date published: 2026-03-03 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] A U.S. economy that has weathered a year of trade, immigration and other shocks now faces a new test likely to ratchet up uncertainty...
Cities & Communities | Brookings: The local implications of data centers for rural communities in the US
Source: Cities & Communities | Brookings Author: unknown Date published: 2026-03-02 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] Executive summary Market and geopolitical forces are accelerating the race to develop artificial intelligence (AI), and the...
wri.org news and views: How Can We Unlock Climate Progress in Difficult Times? Leading Experts Weigh In
Source: wri.org news and views Author: margaret.overholt@wri.org Date published: 2026-03-02 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] How Can We Unlock Climate Progress in Difficult Times? Leading Experts Weigh In margaret.overh… Mon, 03/02/2026 -...
Regional Economies: Global Economy Faces New Strain From Iran Conflict
Source: Regional Economies Author: Malcolm Scott Date published: 2026-03-02 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] A person watches March 1 as plumes of smoke rise over the Tehran, Iran, skyline. (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images) March 2, 2026 10:20 AM,...




