What is infrastructure?
UKRI uses an internationally recognised definition of infrastructure:
Facilities, resources and services that are used by the research and innovation communities to conduct research and foster innovation in their fields. They can include major research equipment (or sets of instruments), knowledge-based resources (such as collections, archives and data), or digital infrastructures (such as data and computing systems and communication networks, as well as any other tools that are essential to achieve excellence in research and innovation).
What is the UKRI Digital Research Infrastructure programme?
The UKRI Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI) Programme was initiated in 2020. UKRI’s constituent councils are working together to create a federated, interoperable, interdisciplinary portfolio of DRI to serve the UK’s researchers and innovators.
UKRI’s ambition is to build a national DRI to provide the capabilities, skills and culture for the UK to benefit from the digital revolution. Our vision is to deliver a coherent state-of-the-art national DRI that will seamlessly connect UK researchers and innovators to the computers, data, tools, techniques and skills that underpin the most ambitious and creative research.
We aim to achieve our vision by evolving existing infrastructures to support new communities of practice and, subject to funding, by investing in new capabilities to enable researchers to turn data into knowledge.
What is the UKRI Infrastructure Fund?
The Infrastructure Fund is a pan-UKRI budget that supports step-changes in research and innovation infrastructure capability. This includes:
- the establishment of new capability
- significant changes to existing capability (for example major upgrades)
- repurposing
- transformative developments
- decommissioning
Funding is timebound and encompasses the complete disciplinary spectrum, from fundamental research to innovation-focused activities. Investments can be located across the UK’s regions and nations, or form part of major international collaborations.
As well as proposals that are ready for full implementation, the Infrastructure Fund also supports the development of future infrastructures by funding pilot, design and scoping studies.
How do projects apply for funding via the Infrastructure Fund?
The Infrastructure Fund is not an open funding opportunity for proposals. UKRI’s councils and the Facilities Strategic Advisory Group identify, prioritise and submit projects to the fund using existing engagement mechanisms with R&I communities.
Who currently sits on the Infrastructure Advisory Committee (IAC)?
Committee members are appointed from higher education, innovation and research organisations, industry and commerce, policymaking or civil society.
The IAC is chaired by the UKRI Champion for Infrastructure, Professor Mark Thomson. It is composed of:
- a nominee from each council
- the chair of the UKRI Facilities Strategic Advisory Group
- three to five externally recruited members
- the UKRI Infrastructure Fund Programme Director
- observers from UKRI Finance and the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology
View the full list of existing IAC membership on the UKRI website.
Who currently sits on the Advisory Group for Digital Research Infrastructure (AGD)?
Committee members are appointed from higher education, innovation and research organisations, industry and commerce, policymaking or civil society.
The AGD is co-chaired by the UKRI Champion for Infrastructure, Professor Mark Thomson and EPSRC Executive Director of Research Base, Jane Nicholson. It is composed of:
- a nominee from each council
- the UKRI Infrastructure Portfolio Director
- the UKRI DRI Programme Director
- observers from UKRI Finance and the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology
View the full list of existing AGD membership on the UKRI website.
How do the IAC and Advisory Group for Digital Research Infrastructure (AGD) complement one another?
The IAC is UKRI’s independent advisory committee providing recommendations to UKRI’s Executive Committee and Board on the pipeline and investment prioritisation of timebound infrastructure investments enabling a step-change in R&I capability (including new infrastructure, major upgrades, repurposing, transformative developments or decommissioning) through the UKRI Infrastructure Fund. The AGD provides an equivalent function for prioritisation of Digital Research Infrastructure investments. DRI investments tend to be under-pinning, cross-cutting and broader than a specific discipline. However, it is understood that the route for some concepts is not always clearcut. In these instances, there is precedent for co-investment from both funding programmes. Both committees are administered by the UKRI Infrastructure team and there are ongoing opportunities for collaboration and interaction.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
UKRI is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from all. Applications from women, those with a disability and members of minority ethnic groups, who are currently under-represented at senior levels in the research and innovation community, are therefore especially encouraged.
At UKRI we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to flourish and succeed. This should be within an ethical and trusted working environment that enables them to do so. The working environment should be attractive and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.
We also value diversity of thought and experience and are committed to creating systems that value difference so that everyone can feel welcomed, included and nurtured throughout their time with us.
Find more information about how we support equality, diversity and inclusion in the workforce.
At UKRI we are proud to be users of the disability confident scheme. We guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for any of our vacancies. There is a section on the application form to indicate if you would like to be considered under this scheme.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
In accordance with the GDPR 2016/679 (EU), the personal information provided as part of the AGD and IAC application will specifically be used for the purpose of administering this opportunity. It will be aggregated anonymised data will be used for the purposes of monitoring our advisory and decision-making bodies.
