Sector Engagement Manager (Public Services) for the Edinburgh Futures Institute

One of the Data-Driven Innovation hubs created through the City Region Deal is recruiting for a Sector Engagement Manager (publics services).

As a member of the Business Engagement Team for the University of Edinburgh's new Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI), the successful candidate will play a key role in supporting EFI to make a positive impact in the Public Services Sector, including fulling its challenge-based mission, and supporting its objectives as a key Innovation Hub in the Data Driven Innovation Programme, supporting inclusive economic growth through innovation.

 The EFI aims to be a global centre for multi-disciplinary, challenge-based DDI research, teaching and societal impact. It will help transform the application, governance and benefits delivered from the use of data by bringing together a range of academic disciplines, third party organisations, and sectors including financial services, cultural industries and the public sector, that are dealing directly with these challenges.

 Apply here:

https://elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1001/job/2741/share/300000437468728?utm_medium=jobshare

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.

Tourism and food & drink among sectors pegged to benefit from data innovation

The potential of digital technology and innovation for organisations in Fife and the Scottish Borders has been highlighted in white papers from the City Region Deal’s Data-Driven Innovation (DDI) initiative.

The reports explain the potential for both local authority areas to harness DDI and boost sectors, including food and drink, renewable energy, and tourism, and in the delivery of public services, from remote healthcare through to demand-led public transport.

Delivered by the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University as part of the City Region Deal, the DDI initiative aims to enhance data capability across key industry sectors to establish the city region as the Data Capital of Europe.

Jarmo Eskelinen, director of the DDI initiative, said: “The DDI initiative is already helping diverse sectors share ideas, challenges, and experiences to support south-east Scotland’s tech and innovation ecosystems. But DDI’s potential is not limited to organisations that traditionally rely on digital technology. By better gathering and analyse of information, many organisations can develop products and services to better meet the needs of their customers.”

The two reports are the product of research by academics at the University of Edinburgh working in close collaboration with Scottish Borders Council and Fife Council.

The newly published consultation on the Regional Prosperity Framework for the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region sets out the basis on which partners are likely to mount future regional investment bids. Data will be vital, in capturing insights for any such bids and in driving prosperity and well-being as investment programmes are developed and delivered.

As partners in the City Region Deal, experts at the University of Edinburgh’s DDI initiative stand ready to help the region achieve these objectives.

Book now for our conference Doing Data Better, 30 September 2021

The City Region Deal’s Data-Driven Innovation (DDI) initiative will team up with the Scotsman newspaper on 30 September to deliver Doing Data Better, a free-to-attend virtual event that will bring together experts from a range of fields to discuss data’s role in tackling major global challenges.

Keynotes will come from two leading commentators: writer and broadcaster Jamie Bartlett, author of The People Vs Tech, who will discuss doing data better to protect privacy; and Allison Schrager, author of An Economist Walks into a Brothel, which takes a look at unexpected places to understand risk. At the conference, Allison will discuss how understanding risk is key to doing data better.

The event builds on two previous conferences, which focused on ethics (DOING DATA RIGHT in 2019) and collaboration (DOING DATA TOGETHER in 2020) and will examine how we harness ethical and collaborative approaches.

Jarmo Eskelinen, DDI’s Executive Director, said: “Data innovation is being used more and more as part of the solution to major global challenges. It will feature in the planning and forecasting for future pandemics and play an important role in reducing the effects of climate change. As part of the University of Edinburgh and the City Region Deal, the DDI initiative is uniquely placed to play a key role in these efforts, working between researchers, industry and government at local and national levels. I urge anyone interested in the increasingly important role of data to book their place at our conference and learn more about how collecting, analysing and drawing insights from data can create better futures for us all.”

Alongside keynote talks, the conference will include expert panel discussions where industry and academic experts will discuss data’s role in four big themes: climate change, future pandemics, tourism and economic recovery, and social & financial inclusion.

Join us as we discuss DOING DATA BETTER – at a time when we need to do this more than ever.

scotsmandataconference.co.uk

Podcast: Can data help families in the City Region escape poverty and social isolation?

The latest instalment in the podcast series between the City Region Deal's Data-Driven Innovation programme and the Scotsman examines how data can support families in the Edinburgh city region suffering from poverty and social isolation. 

A new project, the City Region Deal's Intensive Family Support Service, is harnessing data to ensure the benefits of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal - especially new job opportunities  - are fairly spread throughout society. 

Sarah Galey-Horn of the University of Edinburgh discusses how the new project is seeking to find great examples of family support, and to share that brilliant work across the region.  She is joined by Kate Kelman of the Capital City Partnership and Laura Millar from Fife Gingerbread to explain how data is used and how expertise is pooled to make the lives of families across the city region better. The panel also explore how the pandemic has changed their approach to tackling this issue. From Fife Gingerbread organising evenings for lone parents on zoom to parents building support networks online. 

To listen to the podcast, please click on this link.