The University is contributing its world-leading expertise in open data to the development of a single pan-European Open Data Portal.
The portal will bring together public data resources from all 39 European countries, opening up a vast range of information. The data will be made fully public, available for use by organisations both industry and public sector and open to every European resident. Researchers from the University’s Web and Internet Science research group will help to develop and maintain the portal, using their extensive experience in open data technology and techniques. The University is one of a number of organisations working with Capgemini Consulting which is leading the three-year European Commission funded European Open Data Portal project. The project will also be involved in outreach activities to encourage the supply of data by European public sector bodies and promote the re-use of public data resources by a broad range of users. For example, the private sector will be engaged to make best use of open data for the creation of new products and services, while citizens will be equipped to make more informed choices. The University will also lead the Open Data Incubator for Europe (ODInE) which will fund 50 new startups, each receiving between €50,000 and €100,000 to develop their open data offerings. Elena Simperl, who leads ODinE data “Open data has the potential to radically change the way organisations value data and our initiatives will help to build a business network around open data across Europe.” A pioneer in the field of open data, the University has helped put the UK at the forefront of the global data revolution. Professor Michael Butler, Associate Dean (Enterprise and Impact) for Physical Sciences and Engineering, says:“Our involvement in such prestigious European Commission open data projects will allow us to continue to demonstrate our ability not only to undertake globally important research, but to follow this through into impact for society.”
