The Digital Task Force for Planning and the UK Collaboratorium for Research on Infrastructure and Cities (UKCRIC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on digital innovation in infrastructure and cities.

UKCRIC is a collaborative national network of leading UK universities with research and development facilities including engineering laboratories; urban observatories; and data analytics, simulation and visualisation capabilities. Through its work with industry, academia, government and end users, UKCRIC is de-risking investments, providing world-leading research facilities and knowledge to trial design options, and is helping to prioritise and provide evidence, analysis and innovation for future infrastructure and urban investments.

The MOU came into effect on Monday the 24th of April and was signed at the University of Birmingham, home to the National Buried Infrastructure Facility (NBIF), which is part of UKCRIC.

Dr Wei Yang, Cofounder and CEO of the Digital Task Force for Planning, commented, 

“The Task Force is delighted to join forces with UKCRIC in our journey to reinvigorate the planning profession – creating a reimagined planning profession that can coordinate the best knowledge and advance the most appropriate digital tools and technologies from related disciplines, so that we can achieve a shared vision and create a better future for everyone.”

Professor Chris Rogers, University of Birmingham, who is on the Board of Directors of the Digital Task Force for Planning and is UKCRIC’s Director of Research Integration, also added,

“UKCRIC is delighted to be partnering with The Digital Task Force for Planning and the MOU provides a strong foundation and direction with which to collaborate on research projects that aim to deliver a sea change in the adoption and integration of emerging digital technologies with infrastructure and urban systems advancements”.

Dr Joanne Leach, Executive Manager, UKCRIC, said,

“It is a privilege to be partnering with the Digital Task Force for Planning. Collaborative, whole systems approaches underpin both our initiatives and are fundamental to tackling so many of the challenges currently being faced in the UK.”