Digital technologies play an increasing role within research, teaching and work within the University and the wider community. This closely reflects the changes in society in general. This has been highlighted by such things as the Digital Britain Report. Digital research is distributed among all faculties of Newcastle University, and over the full spectrum of the engineering, mathematical, physical, life and social sciences, as well as in pockets of the arts and humanities.

The Digital Institute (Di) is a re-branding of the Informatics Research institute (IRI) with the new name being adopted from the start of 2010. This is to acknowledge two major developments; firstly the growing use of “digital” rather than “informatics” in many external thematic initiatives; and secondly, the very substantial broadening in remit that has emerged.

The main aim of the Institute is to “provide the necessary coordination between relevant academic discipline groups, and also a single show case and front door for external customers”.

The Digital Institute (Di) will achieve this by:

• Providing an externally visible and consistent brand which improves the presentation of our research capability
• Providing strategic direction and integration of digital research across the University
• Facilitating the exploitation of our core areas of expertise in informatics and its application to other fields of study
• Improving communication and facilitating closer interdisciplinary working between Faculties and Schools
• Providing a means to more effectively engage externally with industry, funding bodies and academia
• Coordinating large scale externally funded competitive applications for research projects and infrastructure initiatives
• Providing a conduit for internal strategic funding