Juliane Schwarz

Dr Juliane Schwarz is a Research Fellow at City-REDI/WMREDI within the Department of Strategy and International Business at the University of Birmingham. She holds a PhD in Linguistics from Lancaster University and brings over 15 years of experience in managing and conducting social science research, specializing in evaluation and impact studies using qualitative and mixed methods.

Her educational background includes a Magister Artium in Linguistics, Literature and Modern History from Universität Tübingen, Germany (1999), a PhD in Linguistics (Social Science) from Lancaster University (2006), a Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, and professional certifications such as PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner and completion of the Aurora Leadership Programme.

Dr Schwarz’s research focuses on entrepreneurship, start-up support, and the role of incubators and accelerators in regional economic development. She investigates how these support mechanisms impact individual entrepreneurs and venture success, and how they can foster inclusive and sustainable growth by leveraging regional assets. A key aspect of her work involves studying university-industry relationships, spill-over effects, and the integration of university incubators within broader regional innovation systems. She is currently a Researcher in Residence at the Energy Systems Catapult, where she examines innovation in business support for the energy transition to net zero.

Her recent publications reflect a strong trend in evaluating accelerator programs, university-industry collaboration, regional economic policy, and inclusive entrepreneurship. These works employ mixed-method and qualitative approaches to assess program effectiveness, regional innovation dynamics, and socio-economic challenges such as labor market disconnects and gender disparities in entrepreneurship.

• Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2013)
• PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner (2021)
• Aurora Leadership Programme (2021)

Dr Schwarz has advised and contributed to impact evaluations for major organizations including the ESRC, Leverhulme Trust, NHS, NHS Scotland, and various public and private sector bodies. Her prior research roles include positions at Aston University, Warwick Business School (IKON Research Centre), UCAS, and Birmingham City University. She has also held teaching positions in applied linguistics, business English, and sociolinguistics at the University of Birmingham, Manchester Metropolitan University, Aston University, and Lancaster University.

She is actively involved in research teams and centers such as City-REDI, WMREDI, and the Energy Systems Catapult, contributing to interdisciplinary projects that bridge academic research with practical policy and business applications.