New national computing resources to open doors for researchers

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has announced a £76 million investment to launch four new national compute resources (NCRs). The funding covers both equipment and five years of expert service (up to 2031).

They are led by the following universities:

• University of Birmingham (a graphics processing unit (GPU)-based NCR system)
• University of Cambridge (a GPU-based NCR system)
• The University of Edinburgh (a CPU-based NCR system)
• University College London (a CPU-based NCR system)

The four NCRs are expected to be fully up and running for researchers by 2026 to 2027 with at least two of them launching in summer 2026. To ensure researchers get the most out of this technology, UKRI will also be launching community centres of excellence. They will provide expert training and support, helping a wider range of people use these digital tools to advance their work.