Institute of Coding launches third year of the Industrial Masters programme for Artificial Intelligence

The Institute of Coding (IoC) is a collaborative national consortium of industry, educators, and outreach providers, led by the University of Bath, that is working to respond to the UK’s digital skills gap through the delivery of employer-led digital skills education. As part of the CogX Festival 2021, the Minister for Digital Infrastructure Matt Warman announced that the Industrial Masters programme for Artificial Intelligence (IMAI), which is coordinated by the IoC, will continue for a third year.

Through the IMAI, the IoC is working with the government’s Office for Artificial Intelligence to further its work on a nationwide programme of industry funded AI Masters studentships and work-based placements. These studentships and placements help people to reach careers in AI through higher education. Since March 2019, the IMAI team has matched AI Masters students with industry partners, helping to drive up skills and diversity in the AI sector.

The IMAI initiative, which was announced in February 2019, has seen the creation of new AI Masters places at UK universities funded by companies such as DeepMind, QuantumBlack, Cisco and BAE Systems, and backed by the UK Government. One such partnership is the creation of the DeepMind scholarship programme at Queen Mary, which offered eight places to women and students living in the UK from Black and other ethnic minority groups. The new funding will enable more initiatives like this.

As companies throughout the UK increasingly use AI in processes from manufacturing to fashion and construction to medical imaging, upskilling people to develop and maintain the new technology is crucial to its success in boosting productivity. The IMAI team will work across industry sectors and welcomes conversations from organisations that are looking to grow or develop their AI capabilities. Queen Mary looks forward to continuing its partnership with the IMAI team and working together to increase opportunities and access for students to AI education and careers. 

Find out more:

• DeepMind MSc Scholarships at Queen Mary University of London.
• Scholarships available at the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science.
• If you are interested in funding AI Masters students or want to find out more about IMAI’s work, please visit instituteofcoding.org.

This news article has been adapted from a post published by the Institute of Coding. The original article can be found here.