Making Innovative Places 

On Wednesday 12^th December, AnnaLee Saxenian, Dean of the School of Information at UC Berkeley, leading thinker on innovation and author of ‘Regional Competitive Advantage’ and ‘The New Argonauts’, will make a keynote address at the launch of three new NESTA publications. 

Drawing on her own extensive research and that of NESTA, AnnaLee will examine the attributes of innovative regions, with a particular focus on the role of policy in stimulating (or preventing) innovation and the importance of international ‘brain circulation’ (rather than ‘brain drain or brain gain’).  

• The first (with the Centre for Cities) uses five detailed case studies to look at how cities can support and stimulate innovation.

• The second (with KITE, University of Newcastle) examines how regions develop and implement good innovation strategies – introducing the concept of the ‘regional innovation journey’.

• The third is a compilation of essays that breaks new ground in the study of ‘Rural Innovation’ – countering the traditional view of innovation as an exclusively urban phenomenon.

We look forward to seeing you at what we are sure will be a stimulating and thought-provoking event.  Drinks and canapés will be served from 6.00pm.