IER News & blogs

IER's Dr Jamelia Harris and her collaborator, Dr Dexnell Peters of the University of the West Indies, participated in the 6th Biennial Richard Robinson Business History Workshop at the Portland State University.

Dr Harris and Dr Peters presented a paper which traces the organisation of business ownership to the colonial period. The paper argues that legacies embedded in legislation, institutions and culture since 1800 still shape who becomes a business owner, and to some extent, the sectors in which they operate.

IER's Peter DickinsonLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window gave a presentation at the Career Development Institute (CDI)'s AI in Careers Lightning ConferenceLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window on the impact of AI on green jobs.

Drawing on research projects funded by York City Council, Skills Development Scotland and The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture, the presentation covered 'what is a green job?' and how many there are, as well as the nature of AI in farming, and its expected impact on jobs and skills.

The UK Standard Skills Classification (SSC) offers the most detailed, data-driven picture yet of the UK labour market. It is an innovative new tool that will make it much easier to match people to job opportunities and target skills investment where it matters most.

Created by the IER and the University of Sheffield, in partnership with Omnifolio on behalf of Skills England, the SSC is a standardised set of categories that identify the skills, knowledge and tasks required across UK occupations. The SSC is available through the UK Skills Explorer Digital tool.

IER’s Dr Sangwoo Lee recently shared insights at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) 2026 conference in Los Angeles and at the Centre for Global Higher Education (CGHE) 2026 conference in Oxford, challenging traditional views on the value of a university degree.

His research, "Beyond Earnings: The Multidimensional Job Quality Premiums for University Graduates in Europe," explores whether higher education truly delivers better working conditions across non-monetary dimensions.

We are pleased to invite you to the upcoming International Workshop, a dedicated online event bringing together employers, policymakers, and labour market experts from across Europe to explore one of today’s most pressing challenges: the growing skills gap, taking place on 29 April 2026.

Organised by SkillsPULSE, a Horizon Europe project aimed at identifying, predicting, and mapping current and emerging skills shortages and gaps across Europe, this workshop will present the final results of the Employer Survey conducted in Poland, Italy, Greece, Finland, United Kingdom, Ireland and Estonia.

Please REGISTER HERE