We use design and futures thinking approaches, underpinned by data-driven innovation, to co-create meaningful solutions to complex challenges in the creative industries.
In a rapidly transforming world how do we: access, share, and optimise data to innovate and enhance sustainable customer and audience experiences; develop new business models for the creative and cultural sectors; create new work; and support the next generation of creative innovators?
Our collaboration opportunities are designed to help creative businesses, professionals, and organisations to develop innovation capacity and create solutions using academic and industry expertise.
Shaping the future through world-leading research innovation and knowledge creation.
We work with the world’s top researchers, developing deep expertise in areas critical to a rapidly transforming and multidimensional sector.
Innovation and research can challenge and change existing ways of thinking, structures, practices, users, and business models. It can bridge the gap between what we know and are doing right now, and the emerging challenges facing our sector.
Get inside the minds of some of the experts working with us at Edinburgh Futures Institute.
Building future skills and knowledge for creative industries.
We are helping address complex challenges and emerging issues in this multidimensional industry, such as growing skills shortages, uneven and unequal digitisation, new technologies and AI, funding and investment challenges, diversity and global competitiveness, and more.
Our range of postgraduate study is designed to build and share knowledge across sectors and disciplines. We also offer custom executive education to meet specific needs for teams and organisations.
We offer flexible degree programmes which support the needs and challenges of creative sector professionals and leaders.
Executive education
Our executive education and professional development courses are designed to challenge, inspire, and transform your thinking.
Investing in the next generation to help tackle the complexities of our future world.
The future workplace is interdisciplinary, multi-modal, and challenge-led. Our students graduate with core data skills, knowledge of data ethics, the ability to interrogate issues of global scope and complexity, and with the creative and entrepreneurial mind-set to problem-solve that is vital for building better futures.
We have lots of exciting opportunities to connect our diverse and talented students with a range of professional and sector-specific experience.
Delivering meaningful change that is helping the creative industries build better futures.
Edinburgh Futures Institute is one of six Data Driven Innovation hubs at the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University. We are part of a regional power-house for collaboration and data innovation with industry partners.
Our innovation ecosystem is designed to support the creative industries with challenge-led, data-driven innovation that delivers economic, social, cultural, environmental, and ethical impact.
Find out about some of our collaborations and projects.
Creative Informatics
Creative Informatics brings the city’s world-class creative industries and tech sector together, utilising innovative data-driven technologies to develop ground-breaking new products, businesses and experiences.
CreativeTech Scotland Gathering
Bringing together creative tech and data-driven innovation practitioners from across the creative industries to share, network, showcase their work and explore innovation within creative technology.
The Binks Hub
The Binks Hub works together with communities to think, create, and research. Using art, crafts, and other creative activities, we investigate how to tackle the issues that matter most to people, driving real-world, positive change.
The New Real
Established 2019, The New Real is a unique hub for AI, creativity and futures research. It is a partnership between the University of Edinburgh, Alan Turing Institute, and Edinburgh’s Festivals.
Innovation ecosystem
We offer specialist innovation and co-creation services – delivering new value, outcomes, and transformations for people, communities, organisations, and society.
Explore more of the innovation ecosystem at Edinburgh Futures Institute:
In focus
Creative tech Scotland Gathering
Watch the highlights from Creative Tech Scotland Gathering 2023. Bringing together creative tech and data-driven innovation practitioners from across the creative industries to share, network, showcase their work, and explore innovation within creative technology.
Latest
Co-located partners and members
Co-location opportunities
Find out more about co-location opportunities at The University of Edinburgh’s data-driven innovation hubs.
Co-location spaces at Edinburgh Futures Institute are focused on our four key sectors; creative industries, financial services and fintech, public services and tourism, travel and festivals.
We can create better futures
Edinburgh Futures Institute works across the creative and cultural industries – in Scotland, in the UK and globally. We’d love to discuss potential collaborations and opportunities and how we can innovate together.
Caroline Parkinson
Director of Creative and Sector Engagement Manager (Creative Industries)
