Global Innovation Institute

Global Innovation Institute (GII) will be a nexus for co-innovation between researchers and industry in data security, connectivity and analytics. It will be a place where local and global companies, entrepreneurs and researchers will come together in a multi-disciplinary innovation environment. As we are faced with the data deluge in our increasingly connected world, the secure, connected intelligence capabilities of the GII will become ever more critical.

Global Innovation Institute (GII) will be a nexus for co-innovation between researchers and industry in data security, connectivity and analytics. It will be place where local and global companies, entrepreneurs and researchers will come together in a multi-disciplinary innovation environment.

As we are faced with the data deluge in our increasingly connected world, the secure connected intelligence themes being developed in the GII will become ever more critical.

GII is a cross-disciplinary project led by Queen’s University, building on the world-class Institute of Electronics, Communications & Information Technology (ECIT) that has already put Belfast on the map in terms of digital innovation.

Connecting health of humans, animals and environments

As well as ECIT’s expertise in secure, connected intelligence, GII will draw on Queen’s University’s Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS) and partnership in Health Data Research UK (HDR-UK). Combining these leading-edge skillsets will enable GII to take a “One Health” perspective, connecting intelligence on environments, livestock, human health and whole populations to show how interventions in one domain can lead to benefits in another.

High performance computing capability to catalyse innovation

GII will anchor and support the creation of a Global Innovation Ecosystem in Belfast, comprising a community of businesses linked by a common digital innovation thread. High performance computing capability, spanning edge to cloud, will catalyse and accelerate an innovation agenda based on research strengths in priority growth sectors for the region: Health and Life Sciences, and Agri-food.

Digital solutions to transform the potential of companies in the region

The project will be distinguished by its focus on providing customised, domain-specific solutions to innovation barriers in the selected sectors, co-designed with business. It will benefit from the unique combination of expertise contributed by ECIT, which enables a holistic approach to digital innovation, encompassing hardware, software, networks, data processing and AI services. The insights generated will have the potential to transform how business is done in Northern Ireland, and the experiences of us all as consumers and users of public services.

The capabilities delivered by the GII underpin and enable other BRCD innovation projects including The Institute for Research Excellence in Advanced Clinical Healthcare (i-REACH), The Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) and The Screen and Media Innovation Lab (SMIL).

GII Project Diagram

Project Organiser

Queen's University Belfast

Project Lead

Queen’s University Belfast

Dr Godfrey Gaston

Position: Director of Operations at the Institute of Electronics, Communications, and Information Technology (ECIT)

T: +44 (028) 9097 1839

Ulster University
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