CAGE Research Centre awarded £7.1 million to continue groundbreaking research

The UKRI Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) has awarded the CAGE Research Centre £7.1 million to continue its research programme for the next five years. CAGE will also receive support from the Department of Economics.

Founded by the late Nick Crafts in 2010 and based in the Department of Economics at the University of Warwick, CAGE will build on its pioneering research, using economic analysis to discuss real-world policy issues.

The centre will address topics as diverse as the historical roots of Britain's economic problems, the role of social norms in shaping the success of different policies, and the new challenges of the attention economy.

It will also use its unique position to ensure that the next generation of researchers and policy practitioners are equipped with the knowledge and skills to implement policy decisions that reflect a cross section of society.

Mirko Draca, Professor of Economics and Director of the CAGE Research Centre said:

“The focal point of CAGE going forward will be to revamp UK evidence-based policy, to make 'what works work'. It's not enough to know the technical solutions to a policy problem, you need to know how it fits with things like social norms, culture and historical legacies. We live our lives in a society not an economy".

Professor Ben Lockwood, Head of the Department of Economics, said:

“On behalf of all in the Department I welcome today’s announcement of new funding for CAGE.

“We have been proud to support CAGE since its foundation in 2010, led by our much-missed colleague Nick Crafts. Under Nick’s guidance the Centre tackled one of the fundamental questions of economics – why are some countries rich and others poor? – with an eclectic, exciting programme of research.

“Mirko will lead CAGE into its next phase of evolution - tackling the question of how to make “what works, work” - but I am pleased to see that CAGE’s commitment to an historical and institutional perspective on current challenges will continue as a key pillar of CAGE’s work for the next 5 years, refreshed by new methods of data collection and analysis.

“Nick would have been absolutely thrilled to see CAGE on a secure financial footing for the next 5 years, as are we all.”

About the Economic and Social Research Council 

The UKRI Economic and Social Research Council (ESRCLink opens in a new window) is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRILink opens in a new window), a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government. We fund world-leading research, data and post-graduate training in the economic, behavioural, social and data sciences to understand people and the world around us. Our work helps raise productivity, address climate change, improve public services and generate a prosperous, inclusive, healthy and secure society. www.ukri.org/esrcLink opens in a new window 

• Read the full UKRI ESRC announcement
• Read the announcement from the Department of Economics at the University of Warwick