Thursday, 01 July 2021
The ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ has launched a vision to help growth and recovery in the city it calls home with an ambitious programme combining data science, technology and innovation.
Digital ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ is an endeavour to help transform the city; its potential, skills and ambitions, using expertise in research to help solve local challenges, while providing opportunities for growth and regeneration.
The vision is launched as the University announces the first two initiatives that will propel forward future research collaborations in the area of data science and financial services.
A new partnership with KPMG, the UK’s leading business advisory firm, seeks to drive insight for clients and support the regional economic growth agenda. Research in partnership with KPMG will leverage data science to inform business decision-making. The collaboration draws on University expertise is harnessing the power of big data, in particular large-scale financial data, together with methods from machine learning and artificial intelligence. At the same time, a collaboration with the UK’s leading technology venture builder, Blenheim Chalcot, will link the city’s next generation of scale-up businesses to university expertise which can help them innovate and grow.
Digital ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ is driven by shared vision of data for good, and facilitated by technology overcoming borders and the traditional challenges to global collaboration. Using digital platforms, our research in data science reaches from ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ to Ningbo to New York.
Professor John Gathergood, Professor of Economics and Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½, said: “Technology-driven radical transformations in the economy and society are changing the ways we work and live. At the same time, so is our understanding of the role of places, people and partnerships to deliver growth and change. Central to this transformation is the way in which our world uses data, facilitated by digital technologies, to learn and develop new skills, create opportunities, and deliver growth and recovery.
“We are excited by the prospect of new collaborations focusing on applications of data science to new forms of data, including unique real-time data to which the latest methods from artificial intelligence and machine learning can be applied, and new opportunities to contribute to data-driven start-ups and commercial opportunities.
We will bring together our expertise from computer science, data science, economics, finance, mathematics and beyond. Central to these ambitions is the development of talent. From high-skilled advanced analytics to first-time data wranglers, Digital ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ will create opportunity for all in data science and build skills for the future.
Digital ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ plans to maximise on ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½’s reputation as the UK’s leading destination for data science start-ups, through investment in the city by Blenheim Chalcot, and a high-skilled cluster of firms engaged with financial services, including KPMG.
Digital ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ is a hugely exciting development for the University and draws on research and education expertise across a wide range of disciplines that use data science and digital technologies for their work, while at the same time addressing a number of key challenges affecting the local area, the economy, society, and the environment.
Professor Landman, University Executive Board sponsor of the project, continued: "The new partnerships with KPMG and Blenheim Chalcot are two of many developments as the project progresses.”
Councillor Rebecca Langton, Portfolio Holder for Skills, Growth and Economic Development, said: “It’s fantastic to see the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ collaborating with major private sector partners like KPMG and Blenheim Chalcot to support the local economy.
This new, pioneering approach only stands to benefit ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ and its local people with the expertise and resources that are being put into it from such prestigious partners.
Councillor Langton added: "ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ is a city of discovery and creativity – Boots, Raleigh, Paul Smith, ibuprofen, the MRI – and my hope is that the work of Digital ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ can produce something equally as impressive for the 21st century, enhancing ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½’s reputation further across a range of areas. I am excited to see what will come of the cooperation of some highly impressive skillsets and how that will help ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ progress.”
With significant government investment in data science in ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ planned for coming years, the city has in prospect new opportunities for growth, development and regeneration, delivering high-skilled employment, quality jobs and a new growth narrative for our region.
Anyone interested in finding out more about Digital ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ or becoming part of the vision can contact workwithus@nottingham.ac.uk or get in touch via the Business Partners Programme /workingwithbusiness/services/business-partners-programme.aspx.
Notes to editors:
About the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what’s next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ invests in the city of ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ and in future generations of talent. Alongside ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we’re creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.