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Welsh Economy Research Unit

Our aim and mission

Regional economic intelligence on Wales and seeking to improve knowledge of the opportunities and challenges facing the contemporary economy.

What we do

  • Provide economic analysis on all aspects of the Welsh economy.
  • Provide economic research and evaluation expertise for a wide range of Welsh firms, organisations and third sector.
  • Undertake regional economic modelling of the Welsh economy.
  • Publish the Welsh Economic Review which provides a forum for analysis of the regional economy.
  • Engage with collaborators in our research including public, private and third sectors.

How we do it

  • Varied economic research methods, including quantitative and qualitative research methods.
  • Engagement with economic statistics on the Welsh economy, and production of statistics for our collaborators.
  • Partnership links with industry and government established over 30 years of regional working.
  • Grant funding from UKRI, regional government, industry and the third sector.

Research

Welsh Economic Review

The Unit produces, administers and publishes the Welsh Economic Review, which has now been active for more than 30 years. The Welsh Economic Review provides commentary and analysis of the Welsh economy in a manner that promotes understanding and informs decision-making and is a vehicle to engage with the Welsh business and academic community.

Current material in the Welsh Economic Review for Volume 30 2025 is available open access at Welsh Economic Review (cardiffuniversitypress.org)

Access back copies of the Welsh Economic Review.

Superfast Broadband Project

We undertook research on the economic benefits associated with the take-up of superfast, broadband-enabled technologies by businesses in Wales. Our research was aimed at helping maximise take-up and exploitation of superfast broadband-enabled services as well as assessing the economic impact of these services.

Find out more about our Superfast Broadband Project.

Collaborative research

WERU is part of the world’s first Social Science Research Park at Cardiff University.

Economic Intelligence Wales

The Welsh Economy Research Unit works in partnership with the Development Bank of Wales, the Office for National Statistics, Bangor Business School, and the Enterprise Research Centre. Economic Intelligence Wales collates and analyses data to create independent, robust and reliable insight to help better understand and improve the Welsh economy.

Recent analysis and reports are available at:

Economic Intelligence Wales | Development Bank of Wales

CSconnected Research and Evaluation

The UK Government has announced the first wave of funding through UK Research and Innovation’s flagship Strength in Places Fund in which a major £43.74M project with South Wales’ compound semiconductor cluster has been approved and will be supported by £25.44M funding from Strength in Places.

The project “CSConnected”, is based around integrating research excellence with the unique regional supply chains in advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing. WERU is leading on developing economic data to support the project outcomes and to assist in the evaluation of project outcomes. Further details of the CSconnected activity is available at CSconnected – Driving tomorrow's technologies

Tidal Lagoon Research

As part of the Welsh Government’s £750k Tidal Lagoon Research Challenge, Cardiff University, in partnership with Western Gateway and British Hydropower Association Ltd, are developing the Tidal Lagoon Schemes: Ownership, Equity and Finance project.

This research is exploring how different ownership and development/financing models for tidal lagoons could have beneficial impacts on the Welsh economy.

Meet the team

Co-ordinator

Picture of Maxim Munday

Professor Maxim Munday

Director of Welsh Economy Research Unit

Telephone
+44 29208 75089
Email
MundayMC@cardiff.ac.uk

Academic staff

Picture of Dylan Henderson

Dr Dylan Henderson

Lecturer in Innovation and Organisation

Telephone
+44 29208 76928
Email
HendersonD3@cardiff.ac.uk
Picture of Calvin Jones

Professor Calvin Jones

Professor of Economics

Telephone
+44 29208 75470
Email
JonesC24@cardiff.ac.uk
Picture of Mark Lang

Dr Mark Lang

Research Associate, WERU

Email
LangM3@cardiff.ac.uk
Picture of Laura Reynolds

Dr Laura Reynolds

Senior Lecturer in Marketing

Telephone
+44 29208 75704
Email
ReynoldsL4@cardiff.ac.uk
Picture of Annette Roberts

Professor Annette Roberts

Professor of Economics

Telephone
+44 29208 75058
Email
RobertsA1@cardiff.ac.uk
Picture of Neil Roche

Neil Roche

Research Associate, Welsh Economy Research Unit

Telephone
+44 29208 76648
Email
RocheND1@cardiff.ac.uk
Picture of Aled Singleton

Dr Aled Singleton

Academic

Email
SingletonA1@cardiff.ac.uk

Publications

Resources

EU Transition - Trade Prospects for Key Welsh Sectors

This report was produced for Welsh Government as part of a project “Understanding the implications of Global Trade and Decarbonisation post Brexit.” Understanding the risks and opportunities for Welsh trade during the EU transition implementation period and in the period that follows is vital to inform Welsh Government’s discussions with the UK Government.

Download document (PDF, 2.0 MB)

If this document cannot be read by your assistive software, you can request an accessible version by emailing web@cardiff.ac.uk. Please include the assistive tools you use and the format you require.

The Input-Output Tables for Wales 2007

The Input-Output Tables for Wales 2007

Next steps

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Research that matters

Our research makes a difference to people’s lives as we work across disciplines to tackle major challenges facing society, the economy and our environment.

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Postgraduate research

Our research degrees give the opportunity to investigate a specific topic in depth among field-leading researchers.

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Our research impact

Our research case studies highlight some of the areas where we deliver positive research impact.