The Icelandic Digital Innovation Hub (European Digital Innovation Hub) has received a grant of over ISK 250 million from the European Commission. The project will be led by the Icelandic Centre for Research – Rannís, in collaboration with the University of Iceland, Reykjavík University, Auðna Technology Transfer Office, and Almannaróm.

With this funding, the centre—often referred to by the abbreviation EDIH-IS—will continue its work for an additional three years. EDIH-IS is a collaborative platform that brings together domestic expertise and capabilities in artificial intelligence, supercomputing, and cybersecurity to strengthen digital innovation in both the public and private sectors. The network aims to support digital transformation across various industries.

Reykjavík University will continue to offer its master’s programme in artificial intelligence, which was launched during the first phase of EDIH-IS. The programme emphasises an ethical approach to artificial intelligence in line with European values.

With the master’s programme in artificial intelligence, we at RU contribute to preparing society for the future. The grant will support our current goals in teaching and research in AI, as well as strengthen our ties with Icelandic industry in these fields.

Says Henning Arnór Úlfarsson, Dean of the Department of Computer Science at RU.

RU has specialised facilities for research, development, and testing of AI solutions, and it also provides education for the general public, companies, and institutions on artificial intelligence. One example is the introductory AI course offered by the Open University, established through EDIH-IS, with the goal of creating more accessible materials on AI for managers and other professionals in the business sector.

Iceland leads a new working group

EDIH-IS will lead a new European working group, Women in AI, which aims to increase diversity in the technology sector. The group’s goal is to empower women to shape the future of artificial intelligence, while creating opportunities for development, networking, and strategic collaboration. The working group will thus help ensure that AI solutions are developed from broader perspectives—currently, it is estimated that only 20% of those working in AI are women. Preparatory work for the group has already begun, and numerous European countries have expressed their support for the initiative.

This aligns with initiatives already underway at RU that aim to encourage women to pursue studies in technology fields. The project Stelpur, stálp og tækni/Girls and Non-Binary in Tech, was established at Reykjavík University in 2014 as part of an initiative to encourage women to pursue studies in technology-related fields. As part of the project, ninth-grade girls from primary schools are invited to visit the university and local technology companies. The event is modelled after international initiatives, celebrating the global Girls in ICT Day each year.

Reykjavík University is also home to /sys/tur, an interest group for women and non-binary individuals in the university’s Computer Science Department. The group was nominated for an award at the 2023 Nordic Women in Tech Awards, and its mission is to build a strong network among its members and foster engagement and participation in the field.

Furthermore, two academics at RU recently received the Nordic Women in Tech Awards, which are dedicated to female role models in the technology industry. They are Anna Sigríður Islind, professor in the Department of Computer Science, and Bridget E. Burger, specialist at RU Research Services,

All further information about the EDIH-IS can be found here