New Grant for Dr Vanessa Higgins
Congratulations to Dr Vanessa Higgins, Dr Jools Kasmire and Dr Jen Buckley for receiving a UKRI grant!
The project “Building computational capacity among global data service staff” was funded for the UKRI's call on “."
Digital research infrastructures connect researchers, policymakers and innovators with the computers, data, tools techniques and skills to undertake ambitious and creative research.
Social science data services worldwide play a key role in the digital research infrastructure by curating and managing access to many forms of social and economic data as well as promoting increased data literacy among the community.
Recognising the growing importance of computational skills for data services staff in the social sciences, this project, led by academics affiliated with the UKDS, will address the critical need for training.
The aim of this project is to build capacity within the international data services community, by providing upskilling opportunities for UK Data Service (UKDS) staff and developing foundational level data skills modules in computational social science for the wider global community. It will also establish a community of practice to provide enhanced support to users through the lifetime of the project and beyond.
Direct beneficiaries of this project will include UKDS staff who will be given the opportunity to upskill in computational skills, as well as global data service staff who will be given access to a foundational-level online structured course(s) on computational social sciences.
Through both upskilling mechanisms, this project will enhance data services capacity both in the UK and globally, enhance the careers of data service professionals, and through the establishment of a Community of Practice will contribute to a culture of lifelong learning.