how can digital Futures help you Digital futures event

Digital futures introduction

Digital Futures brings together researchers into multidisciplinary communities to tackle important research problems, build critical mass in new and emerging research areas, and work with external stakeholders.

Digital Futures brings together over 2200 researchers from over 30 different disciplines across all three of the University’s faculties into multidisciplinary communities to tackle important research problems, build critical mass in new and emerging research areas and to work with external stakeholders to support Greater Manchester's ambitions as a leading digital city-region. We bring our knowledge to bear on the great issues facing the world in the 21st century, exploring the complex interplay between scientific, engineering, social, wealth creation, and quality of life concerns. We are able to combine disciplines and capabilities to meet both the challenges of leading-edge research and the external demands of government, business and communities.

Hear from our distinguished speakers on what Digital Futures means to us and how we can support you, below

Professor Duncan Ivison, President

A platform for all things digital
Looking at ways digital technology can make our lives better, fairer, and smarter
Aligning with and supports the M2035 strategy and ambitions
Delivering research impact to the real world
Facilitating collaboration between multi-disciplines

professor Colette Fagan, Vice-President for research

What does digital research means to us
Introducing the community
Digital Futures as a point of entry for all stakeholders
Delivering the first stage of the M2035 strategy

Professor richard kingston, digital futures director

Vision and mission for Digital Futures
Plans for Digital Futures
What can Digital Futures do
Mapping activities and people

Email Digital Futures at digitalfutures@manchester.ac.uk to get involved or connect with us!

Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/digitaluom.bsky.social
Linkedin: linkedin.com/showcase/digital-futures-at-the-university-of-manchester
Website: digitalfutures.manchester.ac.uk
Newsletter: tinyurl.com/digitalfuturesuom

theme introductions

digital worlds

professor david topping

This theme explores how digital technologies, from sensor networks through to digital twins, are transforming both real and virtual worlds, as well as the lives of those who inhabit them. For example, the rapid increase in large and complex data sets from diverse sources - such as environmental monitoring, remote sensing, transport, social media, and citizen science contributions - combined with advancements in methodologies and computational techniques, offers an extraordinary opportunity to deepen our understanding of the impacts of environmental change and to develop innovative solutions to environmentally related challenges. In parallel, companies are integrating digital twins into their operations to optimise management of systems that impact on the services and resources we interact with. Email: david.topping@manchester.ac.uk Click here for the website link.

Digital Society

professor rachel gibson

The digital economy is serving as an important a driver of new employment options and industrial innovation and renewal, particularly in urban centres. However, such developments also introduce significant threats to citizen security, privacy and equitable treatment. Instances of targeted cyberattacks, data breaches, and use of ransomware in the private and public sector are becoming more frequent. The growing reliance on AI and data-driven systems in public and commercial service provision risks entrenching existing inequalities, if not designed with transparency and accountability. Predictive policing, algorithmic welfare assessments and micro-targeted political messages may have a disproportionate and negative impact on disadvantaged communities. The spread of harmful content and misinformation on social media platforms can amplify extremist ideologies, polarise public opinion and undermine citizens faith in democratic processes. Among young people, digital dependency is linked with a growing mental health crisis. These trends all underscore the need for improved mechanisms of platform governance and regulation as well as means to address deeper structural inequalities in digital access, literacy, and capital. How can we harness the potential of digital transformation while safeguarding society from its most serious risks? This theme draws together a wide range of disciplinary expertise within and beyond the social sciences, to address this core question. In doing so we combine a powerful expose and critique of contemporary digital society with a mission to help develop and design a more secure, equitable and resilient digital society of the future. Email: Rachel.Gibson@manchester.ac.uk Click here for the website link.

Digital cultures

Dr Luca Scholz & Dr Łukasz Szulc

Digital technology enables new modes of intellectual pursuit, creative expression, and cultural production. Sitting at the intersection of the study of digital technology and culture, this theme advances interdisciplinary research involving the use of digital and computational methods and theoretically informed research across the humanities and social sciences. Digital Cultures brings together academics interested in the critique and creative use of digital technology with a particular focus on its cultural and societal implications. Our aim is to better understand how digital technology is reshaping our cultural landscapes, past, present and future. Emails: lukasz.szulc@manchester.ac.uk | luca.scholz@manchester.ac.uk Click here for the website.

digital health

professor sabine van der veer

This theme focuses on how digital technologies can help people live healthier lives, improve health and social care services, and reduce health inequities. The UK government has prioritised the shift from analogue to digital methods of health monitoring and care delivery, recognising it as essential to reducing pressure on the National Health Service (NHS) and ensuring its long-term sustainability. Email: sabine.vanderveer@manchester.ac.uk Click here for the website link.

Digital economy

Dr Mabel Sanchez Barrioluengo

This theme explores the evolving digital economy, focusing on how the development and adoption of digital technologies are reshaping global, national, and regional economies, as well as productive sectors, transforming employment patterns and redefining workplace practices. It examines how advanced digital technologies—such as AI, automation, industrial robots, virtual reality, advanced manufacturing, and fintech, among others—are being integrated into innovation processes and business models. This integration is central to developments such as Industry 5.0, smart manufacturing, and platform-based work, all of which are reshaping the structure and dynamics of modern economies. Email: msbarrioluengo@manchester.ac.uk Click here for the website link.

digital skills

Prof Steve Pettifer & Prof Ang Davies

From enabling individuals to transforming and driving industries, digital skills underpin our 21st century lives. Ranging from essential Digital Skills for Life and for work through to advanced technical skills for innovation, this theme focuses on how The University of Manchester will work with students, colleagues, employers and other education providers to identify and deliver the digital skills needed to support and responsibly transform the global workplace. Emails: angela.davies@manchester.ac.uk | steve.pettifer@manchester.ac.uk Click here for the website link.

AI at Manchester

Dr Mauricio Alvarez

The University of Manchester’s AI@Manchester theme, part of the Digital Futures platform (formerly the Institute for Data Science & Artificial Intelligence) was created to act as an access point to the University’s expertise in data science and artificial intelligence, facilitates interactions between researchers and problem holders, owns the University’s data science strategy, and delivers sustainable support for the community. Email: mauricio.alvarezlopez@manchester.ac.uk Click here for the website link.