Economics CPD Courses

Academic Rigour, Professional Impact.

We are a leading economic research institute, providing training to government, industry and the third sector.

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As part of a University that prides itself on being the ‘Place of Useful Learning’, the Institute works closely with organisations to help improve the skills and knowledge of their staff. Our economics courses – both accredited and CPD – are in high demand with participants from across the public, private and third sectors. All our courses use real-world examples to give participants an opportunity to see economics in action.

Alongside the CPD courses listed here, we also offer masterclasses in energy economics, behavioural economics and econometrics for policy evaluation. We also offer a range of options to take part in courses that form part of our Applied Economics MSc – please see here for further details.

Please note that we only accept group bookings for CPD courses. We occasionally run events that individual attendees can attend – please see our events page for any upcoming open CPD courses.

On this page

Economics CPD Courses

Specific Courses Available

We offer four 1 day courses as part of our standard CPD offer. These courses can be standalone or can be offered as a series of courses to run over the course of a training year.

Understanding the Scottish Economy
Introduction to Economic Policy
Economic Appraisal and Evaluation for Policymakers
Understanding Poverty, Inequality and Inclusive Growth

Detailed descriptions of the courses available, including learning objectives, can be found below.

All courses are delivered by the senior team in the institute and involve plenty of time for discussion with participants in order to help ensure the courses are relevant for application in their particular setting.

I found the Scottish economy course run by the Fraser of Allander very helpful. The explanation of key economic concepts and trends will come in very useful for our work in the months ahead

Nicola Curran

Head of Commercial Revenue
Scotrail

The Fraser of Allander ‘Understanding the Scottish Economy’ course provided explanations of economic concepts and recent trends which will help inform our work on growing the North Ayrshire economy.

Julie McLachlan

Senior Manager – Economic Policy
North Ayrshire Council

Available CPD Courses

Understanding the Scottish economy

Outline

Identifying and interpreting changes in economic conditions can give businesses and public sector organisations an edge.

But for many, accessing clear and impartial information on how the economy is tracking can be anything but straightforward. The 1-day course provides participants with a plain-speaking insight into the world of economics and gives you practical tips on how to find and interpret key Scottish and UK economic trends and information.

It is our most popular introductory course in economics and provides a strong basis for further study and learning.

Is it right for me?

The course is designed for professionals in the private, public and third sectors who are interested in gaining an understanding of the economy and its impact on their organisation. The course does not require any prior formal background in economics.

Key Learning Objectives

By the end of the course, you will:

Understand the fundamentals of how our economy works – including Scotland’s key sectors, unemployment trends and export markets
Be more informed of future economic trends and the implications for your organisation
Have a good understanding of key economic concepts and terminology – and what the jargon actually means!
Have a comprehensive databank of sources of information on the economy
Know how the economic policy landscape could impact your organisation

If you would like to discuss how we can work to develop bespoke training for your organisation or for details on how to find out more about our open courses, please do not hesitate to contact us using the form at the top of this page.

An introduction to the Scottish economy that was accessible and gave me a great grounding in the fundamentals as well as an appreciation of the challenges ahead.

The structure and pace of the course was good, the analysis and examples were easy to follow and to build upon in discussions during the day and afterwards. I also found the mix of other people attending the course really interesting and got a lot out of my conversations with them too.

I would recommend the Fraser of Allander course to anyone working in Scotland who needs an understanding of what’s driving the Scottish economy alongside the opportunities and challenges ahead.

Alastair Ross

Assistant Director
Association of British Insurers

Introduction to economic policy

Outline

Government has an important role in providing goods and services that we all depend upon. But government policy is also crucial in helping to support faster economic growth and the distribution of such gains.

This 1-day course will provide an accessible introduction into the world of economic policy through the lens of the main Economic Strategies in the UK.

The course assumes no formal training in economics.

Is it right for me?

Suitable for individuals working in economic development or and an economic policy environment who require an appreciation of the economic arguments and analysis underpinning the economic strategy in the UK.

It is also suitable for individuals who, whilst not directly involved in economic policymaking, seek an overview and understanding of the core economic policies being pursued in Scotland.

Key Learning Objectives

By the end of the course, you will:

Understand the role of the Public Sector in the economy;
Have an appreciation and understanding of the key economic strategies in the UK, both pre- and post-pandemic;
Appreciate the economic rationale underpinning such strategies – and the risks and trade-offs;
Understand key concepts such as ‘inclusive growth’ and how they differ from past policies on the economy, and the role of the National Performance Framework in guiding policy decisions;
Know what the key roles and responsibilities are of different levels of Government, including devolved vs reserved responsibilities, and the role of central government, local government and Scotland’s Enterprise and Skills agencies; and
Have received an introduction to economic appraisal and evaluation and their role in policymaking.

Economic appraisal and evaluation for policymakers

Outline

Effective economic evaluation and appraisal are crucial elements of a policymaker’s toolkit. They help to inform how government resources should be spent and ensure that decisions are taken in the public interest.

This 1-day course will provide an accessible introduction to economic appraisal and evaluation.

The course assumes no formal training in economics.

Is it right for me?

Suitable for individuals carrying out economic appraisals and evaluation exercises or are seeking to commission such work from consultants.

It is also suitable for individuals who, whilst not directly involved in economic evaluation and appraisal exercises, may be operating at a more strategic level where value for money and financial accountability is key.

Key Learning Objectives

By the end of the course, you will:

Understand the role and value of economic appraisal and evaluation in the public policy process
Be able to advise on what constitutes ‘value for money’
Appreciate the challenges of measuring the full costs/benefits of policies, including how to value non-market goods and services
Be aware of the key stages of an effective evaluation and appraisal
Have a working knowledge of the techniques upon which appraisal and evaluation of economic developments and policies should be based – including the ‘Green Book’
Be confident in commissioning, interpreting and assessing economic appraisal and evaluation reports undertaken by outside analysts, such as consultants or other organisations

To understand and address the key economic challenges facing Scotland, we need access to first class data and analysis.
As we continue to face tough economic conditions at home and years of Brexit related uncertainty ahead, the role of the FAI has never been more important.

Their expert approach helps businesses and other stakeholders across Scotland to cut through the noisy world of economic punditry and focus minds on the policy that really matters.

Tracy Black

Director
CBI Scotland

Understanding inequality, poverty and inclusive growth

Outline

Concern over levels of poverty and inequality has become increasingly mainstream in policy-making. The Scottish Parliament has committed to achieving dramatic reductions in child poverty by 2030, whilst the Scottish Government has placed ‘inclusive growth’ at the heart of its Economic Strategy.

This 1-day course will provide an accessible introduction to the concepts of inequality and inclusive growth, helping participants to understand key policy initiatives and frameworks for reducing inequality and poverty and achieving more balanced and sustainable growth.

The course assumes no formal training in economics.

Is it right for me?

Suitable for individuals who want to know more about the economic factors at the heart of economic inequality and inclusive growth, how they are measured, and how they relate to concepts of fairness and equality of opportunity.

It is also suitable for individuals who wish to know more about the targets and aspirations that the Scottish Government has set, and the policies that might be effective in attaining those.

Key Learning Objectives

By the end of the course, you will:

Understand how concepts such as inequality, poverty, social mobility and inclusive growth differ from one another, and how they are measured
Understand how levels of poverty and inequality in Scotland and the UK have been changing, and what has driven those changes
Know about the Scottish Government’s targets and aspirations for poverty, inequality and inclusive growth, and have an overview
Be able to critically appraise and debate how different policies might affect inequality and poverty

The FAI is an invaluable resource and source of high quality and independent research and analysis across a range of policy which are central to the concerns of the STUC, our affiliated unions and working people generally.

Grahame Smith

General Secretary
STUC

Delivery

All courses can be delivered in three ways:

As a one day in-person course, on the campus at Strathclyde Business School (as and when restrictions allow);
As a one day online course, through the platform of your choice;
As a series of three 2- 2.5 hour sessions, delivered through the platform of your choice.

The courses are delivered as a combination of slides, discussion sessions, quizzes and other interactive elements to ensure that there is a large amount of discussion throughout the day. Participants will be provided with the slide deck prior to participation.

Each course is limited to 20 participants to ensure discussion can happen successfully.

We offer discounts for organisations who wish to put a series of courses in place.

Get in touch

If you would like to discuss our offer, including bespoke courses we can put in place, then please contact us using the form at the top of this page.

The senior team who deliver these courses have a huge amount of demands on their time, so get in touch early to discuss your CPD programme.

Meet your instructors

João Sousa

Senior Knowledge Exchange Fellow

João is Deputy Director and Senior Knowledge Exchange Fellow at the Fraser of Allander Institute.

Previously, he was a Senior Fiscal Analyst at the Office for Budget Responsibility, where he led on analysis of long-term sustainability of the UK’s public finances and on the effect of economic developments and fiscal policy on the UK’s medium-term outlook.

Expert in: Fiscal policy, economic and fiscal forecasting, economic data and modelling

Emma Congreve

Senior Knowledge Exchange Fellow

Emma Congreve leads the Institute’s work on poverty, inequality and inclusive growth.
Emma was previously a senior economist at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and an economic adviser within the Scottish Government.

Emma is an expert in economic policy relating to low income households. She also has a background in local government finance and environmental and agricultural economic policy.

Expert in: Inclusive growth, poverty, inequality, labour market

Mairi Spowage

Director

Mairi Spowage is the Director of the Fraser of Allander. Mairi leads on various projects to improve economic statistics in Scotland, looking at inter-regional trade, business engagement and encouraging graduates into careers in analysis.

Previously, Mairi was the Deputy Chief Executive of the Scottish Fiscal Commission and the Head of National Accounts at the Scottish Government, and has over a decade of experience working in different areas of statistics and analysis, including transport, household surveys and performance measurement.

Expert in: Economic statistics, National accounting, Economic and fiscal forecasting, Local economic data & statistics, Publishing and disseminating official statistics