The University has become the latest UK University to join IBM’s University Relations programme. The purpose of this programme is to foster closer links thus opening up exciting opportunities for new interdisciplinary research collaborations and potential technology innovations plus support for teaching.
A major part of this new relationship is a Joint Study Agreement between IBM Research and the University of Liverpool. This makes the University a key research partner for IBM joining a small number of other academic partners worldwide who have signed agreements of this nature.
Under the Agreement, the University and IBM plan to forge new research links in areas including artificial intelligence, big data and high performance computing across a broad range of disciplines including life sciences, engineering, chemistry and social sciences.
The Agreement allows University researchers access to IBM’s extensive range of facilities, services and products including IBM Watson, IBM’s artificial intelligence platform. It is intended that sharing complementary knowledge, expertise and skills will create an environment with the potential to co-develop new technology solutions, tools and products.
Although the Agreement is focused on research, it is anticipated that closer links between the two organisations will create opportunities for internships, studentships and placements in addition to improving University graduates’ employability through collaboration with a world-leading technology company.
Whilst IBM has long standing relations with the University researchers, including their support for a recent EPSRC-funded £4million data science research project, this Agreement brings the relationship to a new institutional level.
Professor Wiebe Van Der Hoek, Interim Executive Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Science and Engineering, said: “The partnership with IBM, one of the leading technology companies in the world, will bring an exciting stimulus to research and learning at Liverpool.
“The Agreement will increase research capacity and capability and cover all areas of the University including health and life sciences, statistics and risk management.
“The diversity of research fields that we will be exploring together is testimony to the range and depth of expertise to be found at the University and to our mutual interests in key areas of research.
“The University will benefit from access to IBM’s commercial insight and this can inform and direct our research in the future as well as strengthening our abilities to generate real-world impact.
“The Agreement underlines Liverpool’s determination to champion the value of industry-academia collaboration.”