02 Dec 2024

The Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Competency Centre: Rooted at OeRC to Serve all Parts of the University

Part of the Oxford’s Digital Transformation, the Competency Centre Provides Skills, Guidance and Access to Technical Resources to Effectively use Emerging AI and ML Based Tools for Education, Research, and Professional Services

The Digital Transformation programme is imagining how the University’s culture, processes and technology must evolve in the digital era, enabling Oxford to be digitally fit for the future, making it easier for everyone to study and work. Along with a new Digital Governance Framework and Operating Model and a number of other activities, a series of Competency Centres have been established to help people across the University explore and embrace new technologies as Oxford evolves with its digital transformation.

Each competency centre shares expertise in new digital solutions through training, advice, and support for Oxford’s academics, staff and students. Each centre is made up of a small group of dedicated staff, providing free training, free consultancy, to help the University’s teams deploy new technologies.

The AI and ML (Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning) Competency Centre supports the deployment and adoption of AI across Oxford, offering staff training in AI Literacy; consultancy on how to deploy AL/ML methods in education and research; and access to approved and supported tools, to help transform the work of the University’s departments and projects. The centre also engages directly with technology providers, such as Microsoft and OpenAI, as well as facilitating pilots to investigate use of AI tools at Oxford.

The AI and ML Competency Centre is now rooted within Oxford e-Research Centre (OeRC), a multidisciplinary data science research and education institute, part of the Department of Engineering Science.

“We are delighted to welcome the AI and ML Competency Centre in Engineering. Their focus on embedding capability, collaborating and supporting all parts of the University also sits well with our OeRC mission”

says Professor Susanna-Assunta Sansone, OeRC Director, Data Readiness Group leader, and Academic Lead for Research Culture (Research Practice).

Following the successful embedding of the Cloud Computing for Research Competency Centre in the Nuffield Department of Medicine, the AI and ML Centre sought the opportunity to also be based close to the most relevant research and academic community to maximise their impact, as well as create synergies and foster collaborations. The decision to root the AI and ML Competency Centre to the OeRC is not just because of the strong relevance to Information Engineering, but it is also timely and strategic. Along with Prof. Sansone, OeRC academics Prof. de Roure and Prof. Armour serves in key roles in the new University’s Digital Governance and Delivery structure, and on committees that tackle aspectsof AI, such as technologies and research practice, requiring collaboration with AI and ML Competency Centre’s activities.

Alwyn Collinson, Head of the AI and ML Competency Centre, said:

“Our team here at the centre are excited to have moved to the OeRC and are looking forward to collaborating more closely with the Department of Engineering Science; not only to discuss AI deployment needs, but also to tap into the wealth of expertise housed within the department. Having a new dedicated space will allow us to expand upon our training activities at a time when AI has become available to the entire University.”