High performance computing resources
AIRR Dawn
AIRR Dawn is phase one of the UK’s national Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Resource, hosted at the University of Cambridge. It provides powerful AI focused computing for advanced research across disciplines.
Learn more about AIRR Dawn supercomputer.
Computational Science Centre for Research Communities (CoSeC)
CoSeC supports collaborative computational research across the UK. It provides software development, training and data management services to sustain research communities.
Learn more about the Computational Science Centre for Research Communities (CoSeC).
eCSE: ARCHER Code
The eCSE (embedded computational science and engineering) programme provides funding for researchers to improve and optimise scientific software for the ARCHER2 supercomputer.
Learn more about the embedded computational science and engineering (eCSE) programme.
Isambard 3
Isambard 3 is an energy efficient Arm based supercomputer hosted at the Bristol and Bath Science Park. It supports AI, clean energy, healthcare and climate research.
Learn more about Isambard 3.
National Federated Compute Services (NFCS) NetworkPlus
The NetworkPlus aims to builds collaboration between researchers and compute service providers. It funds small projects that focus on governance, technology and community development to support the future of UK compute services.
Learn more about the NFCS NetworkPlus.
Support for compute centres
This initiative expands the UK’s Tier 2 high performance computing services, ensuring researchers can continue to access computational resources through partner universities.
These include:
Data and software development
BioFAIR
BioFAIR creates a shared digital infrastructure for life sciences. It helps researchers adopt FAIR data principles and makes biological data easier to access and reuse.
Learn more about BioFAIR.
DARE UK
DARE UK develops a secure network of trusted research environments across the UK to enable safe access to sensitive data for public-benefit research.
Learn more about DARE UK.
‘Digital Infrastructure: new approaches to software’ funding opportunity
This funding opportunity supported the following seven projects to enhance key research software platforms across the UK.
APIs to support AI in environmental research
This project will equip environmental data centres to provide standardised APIs for AI-ready access to diverse datasets.
Data Curation Service for DiRAC and IRIS
This project will develop a prototype service to support long-term usability and FAIR principles in high-performance computing outputs.
Enhancing digital research infrastructure with Factory+
This project will improve the Factory+ and AMRC Connectivity Stack frameworks with modern authentication and data integration tools.
FAIR Futures: expanding COPO for next-generation life science research and collaboration
This project will expand COPO’s metadata and submission capabilities to support a broader range of communities and data types.
FAIRification of structural biology experimental metadata
This project will automate metadata capture and archiving across structural biology workflows.
Open software tools to accelerate adoption of OME Zarr
This work will deliver reference implementations of OME-Zarr for browser and Java environments to support scalable image data handling.
WacaSoft: weather and climate workflow at scale
This project will productionise new tools for scalable data access on object stores in climate science.
Environmental Data Service
This service brings together five specialist data centres covering:
- atmospheric science
- oceanography
- geoscience
- ecology
- hydrology
- polar research
It provides curated data, expert support and analysis tools.
Learn more about the Environmental Data Service.
Federated data access tools
This initiative simplifies how researchers access sensitive data across the UK. It supports projects at UCL, the University of Liverpool, the University of Edinburgh and the University of Manchester to standardise and secure data sharing.
Harmony: federated data discovery tool
Harmony is an AI-powered tool that helps researchers find and compare data across different sources using natural language processing.
Learn more about the Harmony tool.
Infrastructure for Digital Arts and Humanities (iDAH)
iDAH funded six projects that help researchers in the arts and humanities use and share digital data. It includes:
- Archaeology Data Service
- Shared Research Repository Service
- Oxford Text Archive
- Museum Data Service
- DiSSCo Data Service
JASMIN-X
JASMIN-X expands the JASMIN data analysis facility for environmental science. It adds new computing cores, storage systems and improved cross-domain connectivity.
Learn more about JASMIN.
Physical Sciences Data Infrastructure (PSDI)
PSDI connects experimental and computational data systems across chemistry, materials and physics. It develops shared data standards and tools to create AI-ready datasets.
Learn more about the Physical Sciences Data Infrastructure.
Software Sustainability Institute (SSI)
SSI supports the development and use of research software across all disciplines. It provides community programmes, training and guidance to embed sustainable software practices in research.
Learn more about the Software Sustainability Institute.
Skills, workforce and professional development
Computational Abilities Knowledge Exchange (CAKE)
CAKE connects research technical professionals to share expertise, promote diversity and strengthen the UK’s digital research community.
Learn more about the CAKE network.
‘Digital Infrastructure: new approaches to skills’ funding opportunity
This funding opportunity supported the following 13 projects to strengthen digital skills and support research technical professionals (RTPs).
Building a national imaging data stewardship skills base
This project will create training for managing, analysing and sharing biological imaging data.
Building computational capacity
This project will develop training to upskill data professionals and promote computational social science internationally.
Data storytelling for DRI
This project will train researchers to communicate data-intensive research through storytelling and visualisation.
Digital skills in arts and humanities (DISKAH)
This project will embed digital skills into arts and humanities research through training fellowships and co-designed workshops.
DiRAC training skills 2024 to 2027
This project will provide GPU optimisation education through lectures, hackathons and online sessions.
DRIFT: DRI focused training for research facilitators and teams
This project will develop tailored training pathways, platforms and learning formats (such as Raspberry Pi HPC clusters and ‘Byte sized RSE’ camps) to upskill research facilitators and interdisciplinary teams in using DRI.
Evidence-led curation skills for sensitive data
This project will identify skills gaps in secure data environments and piloted a train-the-trainer model.
HAI-End
This project will deliver advanced training for high-performance computing and AI research champions.
IDS READY
This project will provide software training and statistical methods for researchers using education datasets.
New approaches to digital skills development
This project will co-developed training in AI methods across disciplines through the National Centre for Research Methods network.
Structural biology training platforms
This project will develop integrated learning pathways across cryoEM, X-ray crystallography and AlphaFold.
UKRI Digital Skills Catalyst
This project will scale the DaSH Network by offering training resources and accredited support for digital skills development.
UKRI Living Benchmarks: skills to maximise the value of DRI investments
This project will build a community of benchmarking experts and create an open-source benchmark suite to make sure that high-performance computing investments deliver value.
Digital RTP Skills NetworkPlus
This network enhances skills, leadership and collaboration among RTPs across the UK. It includes projects such as:
- Mathematical Innovators in the Digital Space (MInDs)
- Connecting Hub for Advancing the RTP Talent Enabling DRI (CHARTED)
- Careers and Skills for Data-driven Research (CaSDaR)
- The SCALE-UP Network: Scaling digital RTP support nationally
- Developing a Community of Leaders (DisCouRSE)
Network for Sustainable Digital Research Infrastructure Vision and Expertise (NetDRIVE)
This project, led by the University of Oxford, brings together experts to build a community focused on achieving net zero for digital research infrastructure.
Learn more about NetDRIVE.
Review of existing skills and needs: optimising data professional success
This project will examine career challenges faced by data professionals and made recommendations to improve training, support and retention.
Learn more about the review of existing skills and needs project.
RTP Hubs
The hubs develop skills and community for RTPs working with accelerated computing.
The ACIT-Hub at the University of Surrey offers training on accelerators, networking and storage.
Learn more about the ACIT-Hub.
The SHAREing Hub at the University of Durham builds a national ecosystem for RTPs to share knowledge and develop solutions.
Learn more about the SHAREing Hub.
Support for RTP platforms
Six national platforms develop training and career support for RTPs across:
- data science
- AI
- health
- robotics
- telecommunications
The six platforms are as follows.
Developing technical capability for UK secure data environments
This project builds a skilled workforce to develop and manage secure data environments. It provides placements, traineeships and health data training in partnership with the NHS and universities across northwest England.
People in data
This project establishes a national community of data professionals. It supports career development through:
- open training
- events
- a Data Champions scheme
- a business case for a professional society
Meeting future needs of antenna measurements and radio frequency (RF) characterisation (MUSCAT)
The platform addresses critical skills gaps in telecoms and wireless research and development by training RTPs in antenna and RF technologies to support emerging sectors such as:
- IoT
- 6G
- autonomous systems
National platform for research technical professionals on AI for science and engineering (NPRAISE)
This project develops a national platform to train RTPs in applying AI to science and engineering by offering:
- interdisciplinary training
- practical project work
- International collaboration opportunities
Strategic technical platform for university professionals (STEP-UP)
This initiative develops a collaborative training and support ecosystem for digital RTPs across software, data, and infrastructure, with a focus on sustainable careers, institutional change, and skills recognition.
UK robotics and autonomous systems strategic technical platform (UKRAS-STEP)
This project strengthens skills and community for research technicians in robotics and autonomous systems, building national coordination, career support, and a recognised robotics and autonomous systems technician network.
International engagement
The programme funds UK participation in several international research initiatives, including:
- European Open Science Cloud Association
- Global Biodata Coalition
- Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe
- Research Data Alliance
- Research Software Alliance
