Cher Li

Professor Cher Li is a distinguished academic and policy advisor in economics of innovation at Aston Business School, part of Aston University's College of Business and Social Sciences. She holds leadership roles in UKRI's Interdisciplinary Assessment College (IAC), BEIS Expert Peer Review Group, and Innovation Growth Lab (IGL). With a PhD from the University of Glasgow, her career includes senior roles at Nottingham University Business School, Imperial College, and Strathclyde.

Her research focuses on innovation systems, intellectual property, technology standards, and productivity, supported by £2M+ in UKRI/ESRC funding. Notable projects include the Transforming Productivity Evidence Hub (2020-2023) and evaluations of government programs like Help to Grow: Digital and BEIS Energy Entrepreneurs Fund.

Cher actively engages policymakers through advisory roles on innovation strategy, contributing to UK industrial policy. Her work bridges academia and practice, with policy reports influencing manufacturing foresight and international trade strategy. Recognized with the 2019 BSI Standards Makers Award for education and research in standardization.

She supervises PhD candidates in innovation economics, digital economy, and management standards, mentoring graduates to academic and industry roles. Current projects include a Midlands Graduate School studentship on management standards and competitiveness with UKAS.