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We have just returned from an exhaustive three day Study Tour to London. One of the visits was to the DTI conference centre for a seminar with Nicola Kirkup and Susan McGuiness from the DTI Competitiveness Unit. This was the first school visit they have had and the material they produced was superb. They are keen to host other school groups and if you want information on this Nicola can be contacted directly at the DTI or using the contact information on the DTI web site (link on our economics link page http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/geoff.riley/econlink.htm) The material is based on Benchmarks for Business and covers a very wide range of issues of micro and macroeconomic relevance to both students of economics and business studies. Both Nicola and Susan joined the RGS Newcastle group at the next seminar with Martin Weale, Director of the NIESR - and engaged in a heated debate about what competitiveness means. Martin equated it almost exclusively with productivity and the exchange rate - perhaps examiners are looking for a broader vision of the concept. Geoff %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%