Sponsors

About EPSRC

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is the main UK government agency for funding research and training in engineering and the physical sciences, investing around £740 million a year in a broad range of subjects – from mathematics to materials science, and from information technology to structural engineering.

Digital Economy

The aim of our Digital Economy programme is to enable the early adoption of information technologies, generating societal and economic benefits. ICT is embedded in all areas of life and it is constantly evolving. It has the ability to transform how business operates, the way government delivers and the way society interacts.

Budget

Research: £46 million commitment for 2008/09
Training: £34 million commitment for 2008/09 (five-year commitment)

Activities

• Fund large-scale, multidisciplinary, user-led research projects in transport, healthcare and creative industries.
• Consider how to work with other business sectors such as financial services, retail and services.
• Establish doctoral training centres to provide PhD training for the digital economy, combining research with understanding user needs and socioeconomic implications.
• Support career acceleration and leadership fellowships.
• Work with the research community to identify fundamental areas key to future research capability in the digital economy, and fund research by signposting in responsive mode.