The information and communication technologies (ICT) theme supports UK scientists to deliver the very best research and training to meet the UK’s future scientific needs across the science base. This is an ongoing fundamental research theme that invests in investigator-led research, as well as more applied, multidisciplinary, user-centred and co-created research.
EPSRC remit for applications in ICT can be extremely broad, and we continue to support research across the full spectrum and remit of ICT, both fundamental and applied, as well as interdisciplinary, intradisciplinary and multidisciplinary projects. With this in mind, we have co-developed, together with other key academic stakeholders, a guiding framework encompassing seven core portfolios and related cross-cutting themes.
The guiding framework for ICT
The framework was designed to:
- support applicants to submit novel and impactful applications
- support applicants to understand the breadth of the ICT remit, through a set of future-proofed, all-encompassing portfolio descriptions
- highlight those cross-cutting themes that are outside of the research portfolio space, and relevant to their research proposals
Some research areas falling predominantly within other EPSRC theme remits intersect with our guiding framework, including:
- fundamental AI
- quantum technology
- advanced materials
- engineering (including space technology and robotics)
- manufacturing and circular economy research
- resilience, security and cryptographic aspects of ICT
See the EPSRC ICT guiding framework for full details
The seven portfolios for ICT
The EPSRC ICT theme aims to simplify the existing 26 research areas and create portfolios that would be truly inclusive of all the research that is funded, as well as have an element of future-proofing, for longevity. Our remit encompasses the following broad seven portfolios:
- fundamentals of computing
- artificial intelligence technologies
- data science
- people, interaction and ICT
- audio, vision, speech and senses
- communications systems
- semiconductors (electronics and photonics)
The cross-cutting themes for ICT
EPSRC ICT theme have designed eight cross-cutting themes that sit outside of traditional ICT research areas, which we encourage applicants to consider. We recognise that these themes overlap and that each can inform progress or direction in others.
The themes are:
- Enabling research for societal benefit
- Building a multidisciplinary research ecosystem
- Enabling and underpinning creative research
- Supporting future sustainable technologies
- Unlocking the potential of user-centred, user co-created research
- Enabling the push towards commercialisation
- Supporting research to enable resilient, secure and trustworthy ICT
- Building in the ethical, responsible research and innovation (RRI) as well as trusted research & innovation (TR&I) considerations