As part of the British Academy‘s Economic Strategy Programme, Professor Patricia Clavin, Co-Director of the Oxford Martin Programme on Changing Global Orders, has co-chaired an international working group focusing on the crucial policy area of International Trade and Geopolitics. It was part of a wider investigation into Britain’s economic strategy which brought together leading academics, British Academy Fellows, and economic policymakers. Her group has now published two reports providing expert policy insights:

• A new strategic narrative for British trade in turbulent times
• Trade in an uncertain world: Deep advantages and nimble responses
   

The reports’ insights for the UK government, ahead of its Spending Review in June 2025, include:

• Developing a new special relationship between the UK and Europe based on values, geography and security to mitigate the impact of global shocks, and to deliver mutually beneficial improvements in economic exchange
• Exploring new collaborations with countries and regions that have an interest in remaining open and unaligned in an economic environment dominated by US-China competition
   

The working group was co-chaired by Professor Patricia Clavin FBA, Professor of Modern History, University of Oxford, and Professor Tony Venables FBA , Professor of Economics at the University of Manchester and Research Director at the Productivity Institute.

The full insights and conclusions of the Programme, which covers the policy areas of Research & Development and Innovation, Skills, and Sustainability and Social Value, as well as International Trade and Geopolitics, can be found in The British Academy’s Economic Strategy Programme.