Our DDI hubs
The Data-Driven Innovation initiative has helped establish six hubs at the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University – creating a regional power-house for collaboration with industry partners. The hubs house expertise and facilities to help 10 industrial sectors become more innovative through data.
Bayes Centre
Opened in October 2018, the Bayes Centre provides an innovative environment to support the co-location of up to 600 world-leading applied data science researchers, students, and collaborating staff from organisations across the public, private and third sectors. The Centre is also home to the Post-Covid AI Accelerator, the Data Science Technology and Innovation online PGT programme and coordinates the internationally acclaimed EIE programme.
Focussing on the facilitation of translational research and development, the Bayes Centre connects industry partners to academic and research expertise from across the institution, as well as organisations like the Alan Turing Institute and the Data Lab.
National Robotarium
The National Robotarium is a world-leading centre in robotics and AI, based at Heriot-Watt University. It creates innovative solutions to global challenges, working directly with industry to research, test and develop robotic, AI and automated technologies that have a positive impact on the economy and society. The National Robotarium uses AI and robotics to help make us safer, healthier, and more productive. Through its globally significant work, the National Robotarium develops talent and shapes the future, having a positive impact on the economy and society.
Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI)
Edinburgh Futures Institute is creating a new environment for data-rich learning, teaching, research and innovation – and they are doing it side-by-side with communities, organisations, businesses and industry. Recognising that the biggest challenges facing societies globally are complex and interconnected, and that insight, innovation and impact come from bringing people and knowledge together across multiple disciplines, the Futures Institute collaborates to address complex challenges and make positive impact.
The Futures Institute is working with organisations and professionals, from sectors like fintech, creative industries, public services and tourism to tackle challenges, improve products and services, and develop new ones through better use and understanding of data. The Institute’s portfolio of new postgraduate study options includes core data skills, ensuring graduates learn data-led decision making, data innovation and collaboration, and the fundamentals of data ethics.
Usher Institute
Through the application of data science, the Usher Institute is driving innovation in health and social care that improves lives. First established in 1902, the Usher Institute is home to the oldest chair of public health in the UK and has a strong international reputation for research and teaching excellence.
Located at Edinburgh BioQuarter, the new Usher building will become a world-leading hub where health and social care research teams collaborate with colleagues from public, private and third sector organisations to deliver data-driven advances in health and social care.
This newly established innovation community will develop solutions to our most pressing sector challenges by integrating the activities of: clinicians, life scientists and data scientists to identify new, co-produced insights; and industry and public sector organisations to extract, apply and commercialise expert knowledge.
The Usher Institute is drawing on Scotland’s mature and world-leading health data assets, establishing ‘DataLoch’ - a unique and secure data service to support transformative research and innovation for the region and beyond. Robust, efficient governance and data-sharing protocols have been developed in partnership with the National Health Service, informed by public perspectives.
An ambitious Talent programme will provide a suite of education and training to support a future workforce with the knowledge and skills to drive the use of data and digital technologies to transform the delivery of care.
Easter Bush Agritech Hub
An efficient agricultural sector is critical to social well-being; by 2050, global agricultural production will need to increase by 50% to feed a growing global population. By applying data technologies that enable farmers and related industries to improve food production, veterinary care, digital agriculture (Agritech) is critical to increasing global food supply.
The Easter Bush Agritech Hub seeks to leverage existing world-class research institutes and commercialisation facilities to help the City Region become a global location of Agritech and veterinary excellence. It does this through a campus-wide network that generates and collates, in real time, a multitude of local and global data, (e.g. veterinary activities, animal genetics, food species genetics, soil condition, weather and market drivers). It also collaborates with partners to use this information to realise the potential of having the right food species, and the right products, in the right field at the right time, to maximise agricultural productivity.
Edinburgh International Data Facility
The Edinburgh International Data Facility (EIDF) provides the enabling data infrastructure platform for the wider DDI initiative and its hubs. The DDI activities require an extremely powerful, high capacity and flexible infrastructure, capable of responsive delivery of an expanding range of complex and bespoke data and analytical services.
By leveraging prior investments in the Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre (EPCC), and its Advanced Computing Facility (ACF), the EIDF represents a practical, flexible and cost-effective approach to the delivery of diverse technological requirements.
