Experts at the University of Nottingham will be part of a new research network that will focus on making the design and manufacturing of digital technologies more sustainable, thanks to £2mllion in funding from the EPSRC.
The Digital Innovation and Circular Economy (DICE) Network+ is a three-year programme that seeks to leverage the digitalisation of industry to foster a circular economy across sectors and value chains for digital and communication technologies.
Through interdisciplinary collaboration, research and technological innovation, the network will aim to develop circular solutions for issues such as the lack of circular economy (CE) principles in digital technology design and manufacture, and the poor understanding and coordination of digital advancements in supporting the CE transition.
Circular approaches design out waste and pollution and keep materials and products in circulation at their highest value for as long as possible.
The DICE network comprises 11 investigators from nine UK universities: Exeter (ECCE and INDEX), Swansea, Salford, Surrey, Open University, Southampton, Shefield, Queens University Belfast and Nottingham.
They bring expertise from engineering, materials science and social sciences, plus a wide range of partners, including universities, industry stakeholders and public bodies.
Experts from the University of Nottingham will develop digital solutions for a circular economy transition that are not only innovative but also inclusive and accessible to all. This ensures that the benefits of a circular economy extend across diverse communities, addressing societal challenges while fostering equitable and sustainable progress.
By bringing together an interdisciplinary collaboration this network Plus represents an exciting opportunity to accelerate the digital revolution to realise our visions of a circular economy. As the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion lead, I'm eager to collaborate across the network to ensure the solutions we develop are inclusive, accessible, and beneficial to all."
DICE's activities will include mapping exercises, co-creation workshops, feasibility studies and demonstrator projects, and the development of a 10-year roadmap towards a digitally enabled circular economy.
It aims to benefit stakeholders through innovative outcomes, fostering knowledge exchange, and supporting projects that promote CE adoption.
This approach includes interdisciplinary collaboration, leveraging extensive existing networks (over £160m of funding since 2020) for maximum impact, and a structured programme under four pillars: Insight and Evidence, Inclusive Community, Capacity Building and Knowledge Exchange, and Research Impact and Legacy.
