Value proposition

Promoting the use of big data and innovative methods to improve social, economic and environmental well-being in cities

The Urban Big Data Centre (UBDC) is a research centre that is jointly funded by the ESRC and the University of Glasgow. We aim to promote the use of big data and innovative methods to improve social, economic and environmental well-being in cities.

We deliver analyses which have demonstrable impacts on public policy, society and industry. We do this by publishing world-leading research in the social sciences and other disciplines, but also by working closely with partners from government, industry and the third sector.

We work to enhance the quality of urban big data and methods for urban analytics to support the work of others. But we also provide critical analysis of the value of these for understanding urban conditions.

We offer a centre-of-excellence for teaching and capacity building in urban big data and urban analytics. You can study with us as a Masters or PhD student.

UBDC was established in 2014. In its first phase - up to January 2019 - it was funded by the ESRC as part of the UK’s national data infrastructure, focussed on developing big data resources and urban analytics methods for a wide range of potential applications and users.

UBDC is now jointly funded by the ESRC and the University of Glasgow as a research centre up to January 2024. As well as continuing to pioneer the science of urban analytics, the Centre will work closely with government and industry to ensure the benefits of that research are maximised.

Big Data, Urban Informatics, Data Science, Skills Training, and Research