Edinburgh Futures Institute

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

NEW EVENTS SEASON STARTS 12TH oCTOBER

Join us for a diverse programme of stimulating conversations, performances, and workshops.

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

CHRIS SPEED
[Director of Edinburgh Futures Institute]
a warm welcome to all

Welcome to the Edinburgh Futures Institute, an astonishing project that has taken many years to develop and is now delivering one of the most exciting curriculums, research cultures and innovation spaces across the UK and Europe.  

Bringing together 21 schools across the University of Edinburgh and putting them into one space; one global space where we have online activity as well as in this extraordinary new building, the conversion of the Royal Infirmary right in the middle of Edinburgh.  

Alongside the students are researchers, research centres, all collaborating through interdisciplinary lenses to produce an astonishing series of projects that address many of the social, environmental and economic concerns of the day. 

Inside the building we’ll host tenants who we collaborate with from civic, social, as well as commercial organisations, all wanting to work together to understand how best to address the big problems of our time, really addressing collaboratively the ideas of what it means to think about futures. So welcome to the Futures Institute and come and join us. 

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

Tour and Lightning Talks at South College Street on Doors Open Days 2023 

Community
Image of South College Street building

Discover the multi-layered history of South College Street – from a bowling green to a place of worship, to a data and futures-focused place for learning and working! 

Featured News

Five years of progress for City Region Deal

University of Edinburgh employees show Scotland's First Minister the EFI building works.

Five years after it was signed by the Prime Minister and First Minister, the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal has helped 15,000 people secure employment, and improved the skills and knowledge of over 103,000 of the region’s citizens.

Upcoming events

Power trip event season event flyer

“The production and intellectual content of your recent events has been fantastic! Thank you for the opportunity to attend and learn. This is probably the best event I have been to all year.”

Event attendee, Love Machine Spring 2023

We’re moving into our new home

The Edinburgh Futures Institute will begin a phased opening of doors to its iconic new building, a major restoration of the old Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, from Autumn 2023.

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

Artist illustration of front view of entrance to Edinburgh Futures Institute 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