Digital Economies Infrastructure scoping study
Date: Mar 06, 2009
Summary
As a part of developing the RCUK Digital Economy Programme the AHRC, in collaboration with the EPSRC, have commissioned a scoping study to review the capital (equipment, facilities, infrastructure) needs to support leading edge research using new digital and related media technologies and whether there are significant gaps or unmet needs which require investment by the Research Councils to supplement current provision and funding sources and enable UK research leadership in the field. As a part of this one option which will be considered is whether there is a case for the Research Councils to provide additional support for the development of ‘digital media laboratory’-type research facilities or similar research resource facilities in the UK.
There is now a public wiki available to all interested parties which will steer the final report
Aim
The aim of the scoping study is to review the capital (equipment, facilities, infrastructure) needs to support leading edge research using new digital and related media technologies and identify any significant gaps or unmet needs which require investment by the Research Councils to supplement current provision and funding sources to enable UK research leadership in the field. As a part of this one option which will be considered is whether there is a case for the Research Councils to provide additional support for the development of ‘digital media laboratory’-type research facilities or similar research resource facilities in the UK.
Focus
The focus of the study on whether there is a need for large scale provision of facilities, infrastructure or equipment as a research resource to support innovative high quality research by relevant research communities rather than on the equipment needs of individual projects which can be met through existing grants provision unless a case is identified for considering that current provision met through project funding could be met more efficiently and effectively through provision of some common facility or provision. Whilst the key focus of the study will be the research needs of the arts and humanities and engineering and physical science research communities (including for example media and communications, computer science and creative research communities), the needs of other research communities and opportunities for inter-disciplinary research will also be considered where appropriate. Opportunities for collaboration with non-academic organisations in the support, provision and use of the facilities will be considered as appropriate. The focus of this scoping study is primarily on the provision of support for undertaking new research rather than on support for the archiving, preservation or digitisation of the outcomes of previous research which have been the focus of studies elsewhere.
Consultants
David Roberts, Ben Light, John O'Hare, Peter Barrett, Bruce Weir, Cathy Garner, Mike Ryan, David Good, Michael Joroff, Mike Kagioglou, Terrence Fernando, Ferneley Elaine, Matthias Fuchs, David Kreps, Garry Crawford, Vera Barron
Contact: email:d.j.roberts@salford.ac.uk