Prof. Ronald W McQuaid, Director ERI, Edinburgh Napier University, UK (Brighton, UK 2008)

Professor McQuaid has a PhD from Harvard University, an MSc (Econ) from LSE and a BA (Hons) from Lancaster University. He headed economic development at two Councils before joining Napier University in the 1990s. Ronald's extensive research experience includes economic development, employability, training issues and related transport issues. He has worked with many colleagues across the globe, including many European countries, China, South Africa, USA etc. Research and consultancy projects have been funded by regional and local development agencies, local authorities, companies, Third Sector organisations, the Scottish Government, government departments and the European Commission and an advisor to the Scottish Parliament. He has published over 80 academic papers and is on the editorial boards of several journals, including World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development. Ronald has carried out numerous research and consultancy reports. Recent examples include: Simulating Land Use Processes - An Interactive E-Tool for Sustainable Impact Assessment (e-LUP), commissioned by EU 6th Framework with various partner institutions; How Can Parents Escape From Recurrent Poverty? Joseph Rowntree Fund; Employers' Views of Employability, Scottish Business in the Community; The impact of educational migration and non-return on community composition and skills in Northern Ireland, Equality Commission for Northern Ireland; Evaluation of Working for Families, Scottish Executive; SMEs and recruitment, European Social Fund; Exploring Employers Skills Upgrading Needs, Sector Skills Development Agency; Approaches to Evaluation in Community Regeneration, Communities Scotland; Rural demographic change and employment, European Commission; Delivering Employability through Partnership? Best practices in inter-agency co-operation on improving employability in Europe, Department for Employment and Learning, N. Ireland; Review of Transport and Rural Economies, Countryside Agency; Demographic Change and the Role of Over 50-year Olds in the Scottish Labour Market, Scottish Economic Policy Network; The Importance of Transport in Business' Location Decisions - Scoping Study, Department for Transport.