Call for research project bids to inform design of UK digital research environments

Please note, this opportunity has now closed.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), ADR UK and Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) invite applications for Sprint Exemplar Projects that will inform the DARE UK (Data and Analytics Research Environments UK) programme.

A total fund of up to £2 million is available for up to ten projects. The projects will seek to uncover and test early thinking, develop potential use cases, provide technical proof-of-concepts as well as explore the governance, ethical and public engagement aspects of a UK-wide digital research infrastructure. 

Data has been fundamental to the UK’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. As the UK moves out of the critical phase into recovery, there is an opportunity to re-evaluate the investments that have been made in data research infrastructures, and the research use cases across domains, to ensure that they are joined-up, impactful and support research at scale. 

DARE UK launched in July this year to consult on the requirements for a UK-wide, federated, digital infrastructure for sensitive data research that has the confidence, and meets the needs of researchers, data controllers, and the public. It will explore approaches for the next generation of trusted research environments that will enable fast and efficient sharing, linkage and advanced analysis of sensitive data in an ethical and secure manner. 

The first phase of this programme is delivered jointly by HDR UK and ADR UK on behalf of UKRI. 

Further details on the requirements for the Sprint Exemplar Projects including what we’re looking for, eligibility, and how to apply are available on the UKRI website. 

The closing date for applications is 9am on 11 November 2021.