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 31 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
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)
Want Local and Regional Economic Development Strategies that Actually Get Implemented?
Want to Persuade Political Leaders to Invest in Economic Development?
Struggling to Make the Case for Innovation Funding?
Founded by Glenn Athey, an Economic Development Professional and Advisor With 31 Years of Supporting UK Economic Development
LPIP Fellow, University of Birmingham
Author of "The Local and Regional Economic Development Handbook"
Latest News and Advice
Is your business and stakeholder engagement too low? tips and advice to address this
𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 To maximise participation in workshops, interviews, and surveys, pitch relevant questions and repeat online events. Consider purchasing business samples from marketing databases to expand reach. 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵'𝘀 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱...
Lessons in Industrial Cluster Policy from Eight Countries
I’ve been taking a deep dive on industry cluster development policies and delivery! Here are the highlights of best practice for industrial cluster development, drawing from eight countries and regions… Ireland: Clear, Consistent, and Long-Term Strategic Vision:...
Six lessons for industry cluster development in regions
What are the main lessons and best practices for industry cluster and industrial development? Synthesizing the approaches of Ireland, USA, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, South Korea, Japan, Singapore and the UK reveals a powerful set of common lessons and best...
7 Lessons for Enterprise and FDI Support from a Programme Review
A couple of years ago I helped a region review its approach to enterprise and business growth and inward investment promotion. One of my key observations was that - this region is renowned for being a tech and business success, but in reality this success was in a...
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Economic Development Agencies and Teams
Economic Development Agencies (EDAs) and Teams play a crucial role in fostering sustainable growth and improving quality of life. But what separates the truly impactful agencies and teams from the rest? Drawing on my Ph.D. research into what makes these...
Curious? A personal message from the founder
Hi Economic Developer! Curious? What is Economic Development World? My name is Glenn Athey - I've spent a career in local, city and regional economic development here in the UK. You might know me from my LinkedIn presence - where I write articles and posts every...
External news
Combined Authorities (England): Major overhaul of how West Midlands projects are funded will deliver ‘greatest benefits for communities’
Source: Combined Authorities (England) Author: Gurdip Thandi Date published: 2026-02-18 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] Members of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board discussed the Rosewell Review, set up to look at how best...
Local Economies (UK): Central government holding back growth by blocking regional transport development, finds IPPR
Source: Local Economies (UK) Author: Rosie Okumbe Date published: 2026-02-18 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] Treasury processes are blocking the development of new transport projects, says think tank“Empowering mayors will accelerate our...
Supercool Ltd: Transport and growth: Reforming transport investment for place-based growth
Source: Supercool Ltd Author: Richard Maclean Date published: 2026-02-18 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] Treasury processes, fiscal rules and appraisal frameworks – designed to control risk and manage spending – have too often become...
Upjohn Research: Early Learning Across Decades: Advances in Measuring Head Start Effectiveness
Source: Upjohn Research Author: Chloe Gibbs Date published: 2026-02-17 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] View original article at:
SmartCitiesWorld News: Town of Coventry completes landfill solar project
Source: SmartCitiesWorld News Author: SmartCitiesWorld news team Date published: 2026-02-17 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] At a glance Who: Town of Coventry; Town of East Greenwich; Ameresco; Luminace. What: The Town of Coventry in...
Local Economies (UK): Retail layoffs mount as UK unemployment climbs to five-year peak
Source: Local Economies (UK) Author: Amanda Vlietstra Date published: 2026-02-17 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] UK unemployment has reached its highest in nearly five years at 5.2%, according to the latest figures from the Office of...