DDI Unveils Economic Opportunities in the City Region

The benefits of data-driven innovation (DDI) opportunities across the Lothians have been highlighted in a whitepaper, published on 22 November 2023.

DDI Economic Development Opportunities – The Lothians was published by the University of Edinburgh’s DDI initiative, and identifies ways to drive socio-economic growth across the three local authorities of East Lothian, Midlothian, and West Lothian.

The report also sets out how regional collaboration around DDI opportunities could improve prosperity and inclusive growth by improving economic and social resilience.

The research team identified five themes for innovation-focused opportunities, based on priorities in the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal, the Regional Prosperity Framework and the Scottish Government’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation. These include:

• Sustainable housing and infrastructures

• Mobility and access to facilities and amenities

• Cross-sectoral high-tech sustainable circular economy

• Empowering creative and value-adding enterprises

However, the study acknowledges resource constraints, disconnected infrastructure (such as transport), economic conditions and climate change as challenges. Commonalities across the region mean joined up solutions would enable a greater regional capacity to effect change and tackle these issues.

The report’s lead author, Dr Matjaz Vidmar, Lecturer in Engineering Management at the University of Edinburgh, said: “With this research, we hope to bring the data-driven innovation across these areas into focus, to enable the emerging high-tech and digital opportunities for businesses, the public sector and local groups. Our report highlights immense potential for further sustainable development, leading on national conversations around the future of towns and high streets, as well as gaining tangible local benefits from the presence of the world-leading tech parks.”

Recommendations to strengthen regional frameworks include building data innovation expertise across councils, sharing data, information and knowledge, and further collaborations in economic development funding. The authors hope the report will further empower local authorities by taking up these opportunities.

The report builds on two previous DDI reports, with Fife Council and Scottish Borders Council, published in 2022. The long-term objective is to generate additional economic and social benefits by co-creating new place-based innovation strategies.

The University of Edinburgh and the three local authorities are partners in the Edinburgh & South East Scotland City Region Deal, signed in 2018.

Access the complete report here DDI Economic Development Opportunities: The Lothians

Discover the insights and perspectives of the authors themselves in this must-listen Podcast

Gateway to Success

The Data-Driven Innovation Skills Gateway was a finalist at this year’s Digital Leaders 100 awards.

The Skills Gateway made it into the final three for Digital Skills Initiative of the Year, out of hundreds of entries from across the UK. With over 700 nominations, judges recognised the Skills Gateway‘s innovative and cross-sector approach to improving data skills as a key component of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal’s skills and employability programme.

The growth of Scotland’s technology ecosystem and changing world of work has led to a rapid increase in demand for workers with appropriate data skills. The Scottish Futures Institute estimates that 175,000 new digital jobs alone will have been generated in Scotland by 2030, with 37,000 of those based in Edinburgh. Yet, around 60% of digital organisations in Southeast Scotland say limited supply of talent is their biggest challenge.

Alison Muckersie, Programme Lead for the DDI Skills Gateway, commented: “The DDI Skills Gateway set out to be innovative and inclusive, but we have also learnt the importance of being responsive. We are all about ensuring that our citizens are well equipped to recognise and understand the opportunity provided by the data revolution – regardless of their gender, background or location – and that they are given options and support to develop the wide-ranging data literacy skills which we will all need.”

The Skills Gateway is tackling digital skills shortages by growing the data skills of the region’s citizens, and helps to deliver targeted activities in local schools, colleges, universities and across employability and work settings. The team has already developed the first school-based data science qualification in Britain, is offering a wider range of data training at all levels and can provide individuals and organisations with grants to be used for upskilling activities.