Edinburgh Futures Institute

A new futures-focused space for learning, research, and innovation at the University of Edinburgh.

Our Learning Curves: Autumn 2024 Event Season is open for booking! 

Explore our exciting programme of 20 events, free and open to all.

We are for the pathfinders, the inquisitive, and those who want to make our complex world better.

A warm welcome to all
Kev Dhaliwal, Interim Director of Edinburgh Futures Institute

Study

Futures-focused undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education

Research

Support for interdisciplinary, data-driven research innovation

Engage & Innovate

Collaboration and innovation opportunities for people and organisations

Latest news and thinking

Featured News

Reimagining the value of musical accompaniment to human creativity

Creative Industries

Read about Dr Nikki Moran’s research on the invisible and unmapped art of musical accompaniment.

Featured News

How digital platforms shape the way we see our cities

Community | Data & AI ethics

Read about Dr Addie McGowan’s research on how platform economies shape the way we see cities and her work with the Data Civics Observatory.

Events

Upcoming

We’ve moved into our new home

Edinburgh Futures Institute has moved into its stunning new home at the Old Royal Infirmary.

New tenancy opportunities for organisations and businesses coming 2024/25.

Brick clocktower and front entrance of EFI building.

Our sectors in focus

A DJ standing over his decks, red tint over image.

Creative
industries

Financial Services
& FinTech

Public
Services

tourism, Travel
& festivals

“With a philosophy of delivering challenge-led, transdisciplinary, multi-sector collaborations that innovate responsibly, the Data for Children Collaborative, is a living and breathing example of what Edinburgh Futures Institute is all about – using novel approaches to build better futures.”

Alex Hutchison, Programme Director, Data for Children Collaborative

Discover more at Edinburgh Futures Institute

people experimenting with virtual reality headsets

Explore our ecosystem

Close up of lamppost with various stickers on it, orange tint on image.

Learn about our approach

headshot of katherine trebek

Meet our writer-at-large

A group of undergraduate students outside a building, green tint over image.

Support the future


Follow us @uoe_efi

“The Edinburgh Futures Institute is an integral part of the University of Edinburgh and our future. It is an integral part of our commitment to the local communities in which we operate and for our place in the world. Recognising that the biggest challenges facing society are complex and multi-layered, and that insight and innovation often comes from bringing together expertise across different disciplines, the Futures Institute is creating a new environment for learning, teaching, research and engagement. It is doing so side-by-side with communities, business and industry and governments.”

Professor Peter Mathieson, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh

Join us to challenge, create, and make change happen.

#ChallengeCreateChange