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Newcastle to drive UK digital economy research with new £12m centre

Newcastle is set to become the centre of the largest digital government research initiative in the world, following the announcement of a £12m research centre.

The new Digital Civics Research Centre, led by Newcastle University, is seeking to develop new forms of community-driven digital platforms that will allow local residents to both commission new services and play more active roles in the delivery of services that are better tailored to their needs.

Moreover, the project will explore the potential of digital technologies in shaping the future of local government services in planning, health, social care and education.

The Newcastle centre was announced as part of the Government’s Summer Budget and is one of six new research centres – worth a total of £45m – that will drive forward the UK’s Digital Economy research, knowledge and skills.

Funded through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the centre complements Newcastle University’s £4.7m EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Digital Civics. which together will make Newcastle the centre of the largest digital government research initiative in the world.

Led by Professor Patrick Olivier, of Newcastle University’s Open Lab, the new Centre brings together 26 academics and 30 post-doctoral researchers from Newcastle, Lincoln and Northumbria universities.

The team will work in partnership with the three local authorities – Newcastle City Council, Gateshead Council and Northumberland Council – as well as a number of key organisations and businesses including the BBC, Microsoft, ARUP and Orange Labs.

Professor Olivier said: “Over the past two decades, society has embraced digital technology, from mobile phones to social media, this transformation provides opportunity for communities to have their voices heard and get involved in rethinking the way that future local services might be provided.

“Digital Civics is not about just putting existing services “online” but is about exploring new ways in which digital technologies can be used by communities to engage in local government service design and delivery – to fundamentally reorient the relationship between those who govern and those who are governed.”