EPSRC announces £22 million investment for seven projects to kick start economic growth and address regional needs

Announced by UKRI today today, seven new projects will strengthen emerging and existing research and innovation clusters to kickstart economic growth and address regional needs, bringing benefits to regional and local economies and communities including new jobs, skills development, private investment and the growth of start-ups.

The projects are led by consortia of universities, civic bodies, businesses and local authorities and are supported by a £22 million investment from the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

EPSRC Executive Chair, Professor Charlotte Deane, says, “The seven projects announced today will harness regional research and innovation strengths to unleash the potential of emerging and existing innovation clusters across the UK. Our investment will strengthen partnerships between UK universities, civic bodies and local businesses to create new jobs, improve skills and boost regional economic growth that will benefit places and communities directly.”

Each consortium focuses on a scientific theme in engineering and physical sciences research and targets a specific geographical area to support the expansion or development of a research and innovation cluster. The Nuclear robotics and artificial intelligence cluster across Cumbria and Oxfordshire is being led by Dr Kirsty Hewitson at the UK Atomic Energy Authority, with University and civic partners including the University of Oxford.

Professor Nick Hawes, Director of the Oxford Robotics Institute who will lead Oxford’s involvement, says “We’ve already seen the huge impact that robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) can have on problems in nuclear decommission. This new place-based impact accelerator will allow the Oxford Robotics Institute to continue to help shape that impact by supporting the robotics and AI community in bringing their innovations to bear on problems in the nuclear industry.”

EPSRC is contributing £4.9 million to the project, which focuses on nuclear robotics and artificial intelligence (RAI). It will link Cumbria and Oxfordshire to accelerate the decommissioning of the country’s nuclear legacy and remove people from harm. There will be commercial opportunities from cross-sector engagement and spin-out company formation that will attract investment with significant potential for knowledge and technology transfer between the areas.

The cluster expects to:

• create 200 business opportunities
• establish 10 spin-out companies
• generate 200 new jobs
• engage 5,000 people in cluster-driven events 

Professor Hawes adds, “We will also be using this opportunity to help increase the network of people involved in, and who benefit from, robotics applied to decommission, including the local communities who will be the source of the future operators and innovators in this space.”

UK Science Minister Lord Vallance said, "We are backing universities across the UK to home in on local strengths in research – from cybersecurity in Lancaster to maritime in Liverpool, offshore wind in Edinburgh to digital healthcare in Belfast – to support thousands of local jobs, boost skills and bring new technologies to market."

“This investment will allow innovators up and down the country to continue or expand their pioneering work to improve lives and kickstart growth in our economy with new opportunities.”

Further information

Nuclear robotics and artificial intelligence cluster university and civic partners: University of Cumbria, The University of Manchester, University of Oxford, Westmorland and Furness Council/Team Barrow, Cumberland Council, South Oxfordshire District Council, Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, Oxfordshire County Council.

Full list of projects