Learn more about our work to develop the research, teaching and partnerships to help us adapt and thrive within a data economy. Data is everywhere. The more we rely on digital technologies for many aspects of our lives, the more clues we leave behind about who we are, what we like and what we do. This data is increasingly driving economic growth, social change and improving public services.As we transition to a more data-driven society, universities have a vital role in training people to have the right skills in the management and analysis of data, as well as generating the research, building the partnerships and investing in the tools to harness the potential in data to drive social change.What we're doingThe University of Edinburgh is a key partner in the Data-Driven Innovation (DDI) initiative – a cluster of research hubs that are using data innovatively to address some of society’s most pressing challenges.The initiative was set up with significant investment as part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal with ambitions to position Edinburgh as the data capital of Europe.Here are just some of the ways a selection of our DDI research hubs are contributing.Sharing our expertise with industryAt the University’s Bayes Centre, you’ll find a community of around 400 scientists, PhD students, and industry experts working together to apply data technology to real-world challenges.As well as research and industry partnership, the centre delivers data science education and training for students and companies.Work with the Bayes CentreSolving challenges of the futureThe Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI) was launched to pursue the knowledge that will help us navigate the complex challenges of the futures, using research that brings together the arts, humanities and social sciences with natural sciences, engineering and medicine.EFI’s first major programme will focus on the challenges and opportunities posed by the revolution in data, digital and artificial intelligence.EFI’s data-driven innovation programme links to four key sectors:Financial services and fintechCreative industriesTourism and festivalsPublic servicesPartnership opportunities with EFITransforming health and social care through dataOur Usher Institute is using data science to develop innovative and financially sustainable models of health and social care that will improve lives.The Institute will drive health and social care innovation at scale by integrating the activities of clinicians, life scientists and data scientists to identify new, co-produced insights in areas of challenge; and industry and public sector organisations to extract, apply and commercialise expert knowledge.The Institute will be a base for educational and training programmes that will equip health and social care professionals with data skills.Find out more about the Usher InstituteGet involvedGet in touch with our philanthropy team, if you'd like to find out more about what we're doing and how you can get involved.Talk to our team This article was published on 2024-10-29
