Building computational capacity among global data service staff
Digital research infrastructures quietly underpin today’s research ecosystem. They connect researchers, policymakers, and innovators with high‑performance computing, large‑scale datasets, advanced tools, and the know‑how needed to pursue ambitious, creative work.
Rapid advances in technology are transforming how researchers engage with data. Programmatic access, web scraping, and AI have already reshaped how data are discovered, managed, and analysed.
The social sciences are no exception. Many of these approaches demand more computing power and a higher level of computational skill than social science data professionals have traditionally needed—and as the data landscape evolves, demand for these skills will only grow.
The aim of this project is to equip social science data service professionals with the computational capabilities required to succeed in this changing environment. More than a training initiative, it’s a capacity‑building effort for the global data services community. The plan includes:
- Upskilling UK Data Service staff
- Targeted training for service teams to build essential computational competencies.
- Foundational training for the global community
- Free, entry‑level online courses in computational social science for data professionals worldwide.
- Creating a community of practice
- A supportive professional network to sustain learning and peer exchange beyond the project’s lifetime.
- Evaluating what works
- Systematic tracking of outcomes to learn, iterate, and improve the training.