Edinburgh Futures Institute

A new futures-focused space for learning, research, and innovation at the University of Edinburgh.

New
Futures Conversations podcast
EPISODE 6 - Kate Wright: Mass Media in the Digital Age

Professor Kate Wright speaks openly about the uncertain future facing the media. Drawing on her experience as a journalist and academic, she investigates how journalism is responding to the challenges of the new digital landscape.

We are for the pathfinders, the inquisitive, and those who want to make our complex world better.

Study

Futures-focused undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education

Research

Support for interdisciplinary, data-driven research innovation

Engage & Innovate

Collaboration and innovation opportunities for people and organisations

Latest news and thinking

Featured News

Edinburgh Futures Institute celebrates launch of Community Plan 

Community
A person wearing a helmet and knee pads jumps on roller skates in front of a stone building, while another person on skates moves in the background. The building has large windows and signs with gold lettering above the entrance.

Local residents, civic partners, staff and students gathered at Edinburgh Futures Institute to celebrate the launch of the University of Edinburgh’s new Community Plan on 8 October. 

Featured Thinking

Industry Voice: Shaping a collaborative future

Financial Services & FinTech | Tourism & Festivals
A graphic with the text “Joshua Ryan-Saha & Tobi Schneider” and “The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Futures Institute” over a large letter “V,” with an illustrated cityscape and two people walking under a red umbrella.

In the second of a two-part examination of a new social contract for travel insurance, Joshua Ryan-Saha, Director of Travel, Tourism and Festivals, and Tobi Schneider, Sector Engagement Lead, Financial Services and Fintech, explain how the industry can work towards a resilient and equitable travel future.

Join the conversation

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Listen now

Upcoming events








We’ve moved into our new home

Edinburgh Futures Institute has moved into its stunning new home at the Old Royal Infirmary.

Brick clocktower and front entrance of EFI building.

Co-location opportunities

Find out more about co-location opportunities at The University of Edinburgh’s data-driven innovation hubs.

Co-location spaces at Edinburgh Futures Institute are focused on our four key sectors; creative industries, financial services and fintech, public services and tourism, travel and festivals.

Our sectors in focus

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Creative
industries

Financial Services
& FinTech

Public
Services

tourism, Travel
& festivals

“With a philosophy of delivering challenge-led, transdisciplinary, multi-sector collaborations that innovate responsibly, the Data for Children Collaborative, is a living and breathing example of what Edinburgh Futures Institute is all about – using novel approaches to build better futures.”

Alex Hutchison, Programme Director, Data for Children Collaborative

Discover more at Edinburgh Futures Institute

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Explore our ecosystem

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Learn about our approach

headshot of katherine trebek

Meet our writer-at-large

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Support the future


Follow us @uoe_efi

“The Edinburgh Futures Institute is an integral part of the University of Edinburgh and our future. It is an integral part of our commitment to the local communities in which we operate and for our place in the world. Recognising that the biggest challenges facing society are complex and multi-layered, and that insight and innovation often comes from bringing together expertise across different disciplines, the Futures Institute is creating a new environment for learning, teaching, research and engagement. It is doing so side-by-side with communities, business and industry and governments.”

Professor Peter Mathieson, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh

Join us to challenge, create, and make change happen.

#ChallengeCreateChange