The UK Government has pledged to make a £73m investment in projects designed to help unlock the potential of big data, amid plans to push the phenomenon as a key economic driver for the UK in the next three years.
Universities and science minister David Willetts said efforts to tap into big data would create 58,000 jobs and be worth £216bn by 2017, with the investment spread across 55 projects covering everything from transport problems to tackling obesity.
The Economic & Social Research Council has received £14m to invest in four research centres at Essex, Glasgow, UCL and Leeds universities. A further £50m will go to the Medical Research Council, £4m to the Arts and Humanities Research Council and £4.6m to the Natural Environmental Research Council.
Willetts said: “Making the most of large and complex data is a huge priority for government as it has the potential to transform public and private sector organisations, drive research and development, increase productivity and innovation, and enable market-changing products and services. “The new data research centres will help the UK grasp these opportunities and get ahead in the global race.”
Source: DataIQ News
