The University of Edinburgh has been announced as the home of the UK's next national supercomputer.
The significant investment represents a huge endorsement of the University and its position as a world-leader in supercomputing and AI, recognising the strength and value of Edinburgh’s expertise.
The UK Government has confirmed funding of up to £750 million for this vital piece of national infrastructure, which will be located at the University's Advanced Computing Facility.
Announced as part of the Chancellor’s Spending Review, the new supercomputer will give scientists across the UK access to compute power on a world-leading scale.
It places the University, the city of Edinburgh and wider region at the centre of a nationwide effort to drive technological innovations and support industry using computing and AI.
The decision will protect jobs, which may otherwise have been lost from Scotland, and provide further benefits and investment to the regional economy.
Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, said:
This significant investment will have a profoundly positive impact on the UK’s global standing, and we welcome the vast opportunities it will create for research and innovation.
Building on the University of Edinburgh's expertise and experience over decades, this powerful supercomputer will drive economic growth by supporting advancements in medicine, bolstering emerging industries and public services, and unlocking the full potential of AI. We look forward to working alongside the UK Government and other partners to deliver this critical UK-wide resource. ”
New horizons
Once operational, the supercomputer will provide high-performance computing capability for key research and industry projects across the UK.
It will enable researchers to undertake large-scale complex modelling, test scientific theories and improve products and public services in areas including medicine, climate change and national security.
Dr Andrea Taylor, CEO of Edinburgh Innovations, the University’s commercialisation service, said:
We are extremely pleased that Edinburgh has secured the national supercomputer, which will enable rich connections with industry over complex simulations, modelling and analysis, in fields from climate research to drug discovery and advanced engineering and manufacturing, including engineering biology.
These connections will help us maintain the UK’s position as a world leader in technology, and translate cutting-edge research into real-world solutions. ”
The new supercomputer will vastly exceed the capacity of ARCHER2, the current national supercomputer also hosted by the University.
It will work alongside the forthcoming AI research resource, a network of the UK’s most powerful supercomputers built to bolster scientific research.
Building on expertise
The University has been home to the UK’s high-performance computing services for more than 30 years.
The new supercomputer will be housed in a new wing of the Advanced Computing Facility (ACF), operated by EPCC and its team of staff.
The University has been a world-leader in AI and computing for more than 60 years. It is the birthplace of AI research and learning in Europe.
Peter Kyle, UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, said:
From the shipyards of the Clyde to developments in steam engine technology, Scottish trailblazers were central to the industrial revolution – so the next great industrial leap through AI and technology should be no different. Basing the UK’s most powerful supercomputer in Edinburgh, Scotland will now be a major player in driving forward the next breakthroughs that put our Plan for Change into action. "
Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray, said:
This is a landmark moment and will place Scotland at the forefront of the UK's technological revolution. The £750 million investment in Edinburgh's new supercomputer places Scotland at the cutting edge of computing power globally. This will see Scotland playing a leading role in creating breakthroughs that have a global benefit - such as new medicines, health advances, and climate change solutions. This is the Plan for Change – delivering real opportunities and economic growth for communities across Scotland.”
