Bradford joins UK University network on AI

The University of Bradford has joined an expanding network of higher education institutions aimed at ‘changing the world for the better’ through data science and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The university is one of 29 new members that have been added onto the Turing University Network, which offers all UK universities with an interest in data science and AI the chance to engage and collaborate both with the Alan Turing Institute and its broader networks.

The network first launched as a pilot in April 2023 with an initial 36 universities from the Turing’s university partners and Turing Network Development Award recipients. A call for new members was then opened in early summer 2023.

A total of 65 universities now makes up the network, with The University of Bradford part of the expanded group, which was officially announced on 2 October 2023.

The Turing University Network is a key part of The Alan Turing Institute’s strategy and supports the Institute in achieving its three ambitious goals: advance world-class research and apply it to national and global challenges, build skills for the future, and drive an informed public conversation. The University of Bradford’s vision for championing responsible AI aligns with those goals, being focused on excellence, diversity and equality, internationalisation and sustainability.

Joining the Turning University Network creates the chance for collaboration across research and innovation, skills and engagement within higher education, industry and policy.

It is an opportunity for the University of Bradford to showcase its pioneering work on data science, fundamental and applied AI in all disciplines – including engineering and computer sciences, healthcare, social care, life sciences and heritage – the Turing University Network will support the University in further developing its teaching, research and innovation, and business and community engagement in responsible AI to engage with and benefit the communities of Bradford.

The University’s School of Management runs three full-time MSc programmes in Applied Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics (and two part-time courses) – all have been designed in response to a shortage of AI and data analytics specialists in the UK and course enrolments nearly tripled between the last two academic years.

The Faculty of Engineering and Informatics offers further postgraduates programmes like MSc Applied Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, MSc Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning and MSc Big Data Science and Technology, which cover the increasingly important topics of Big Data, Cybersecurity and Machine Learning alongside AI and data science.

University of Bradford’s Digital Health Enterprise Zone (DHEZ), the SAFI consortium, which designs and develops courses and workshops for the automotive and aerospace industries, and Renduchintala Centre for Space AI are flagship concepts and spaces for developing world leading research, teaching and knowledge transfer in AI for areas including healthcare, sustainable manufacturing and satellite engineering.

The University has established partnerships and networks, with the likes of Bradford Council, the World Technology University Network, the Wolfson Centre for Applies Health Care Research, and the Centre for Pharmaceutical Engineering Science, through which the University’s data science, AI and high performance computing specialists collaborate with government, business, healthcare professionals and patient communities, enabling the university to make a diverse societal impact.

Harris Beider, the University of Bradford’s Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Engagement, said: “I am delighted to announce the University of Bradford’s affiliation with The Alan Turing Institute, a national centre for excellence in data science and AI, through their network of universities.

“Our research, innovation and teaching strengths in data analytics and AI are highly multi-disciplinary, and no UK university teaches more applied AI and data analytics postgraduate students than Bradford.

“Embedded as we are alongside Bradford’s NHS and Council in one of the world’s most research-engaged populations, joining the Turing University Network provides an unparalleled opportunity to collaborate with data science leaders across the UK and drive progress for academic, local, national and global communities.”

Dr Jean Innes, Chief Executive Officer of The Alan Turing Institute, said: “We’re really pleased to welcome our new members to the network.

“We hope that they will benefit from being part of our data science and AI group and find opportunities for new, meaningful collaborations across the data science and AI landscape.”

The Turing University Network is named in honour of Alan Turing, a mathematician and computer scientist, who was highly influential in the development of theoretical computer science. He is widely considered to be the father of theoretical computer science and AI. He died aged 41 in 1954.