Durham University has secured £235,000 to co-lead the development of a controlled testing environment for artificial intelligence models, known as an AI Sandbox.
The funding forms part of a £1.7 million award from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) under the European AI Sandbox for Entrepreneurial Learning project. The initiative aims to develop and roll out testing tools to support technical skills, student start-ups, university spinouts, and regional small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across European regions.
Durham University will manage the sandbox’s operations and knowledge exchange frameworks, using its high-performance computing infrastructure and advanced research computing capabilities to align testing processes with European regulatory standards.
The project marks the first externally funded initiative Durham University has secured alongside its partner institutions in the Arqus Alliance since joining the network in 2024. The consortium includes the universities of Granada, Graz, Leipzig, Lyon 1, Maynooth, Minho, Padua, and Vilnius.
Durham University joined the UK government’s taskforce to establish an AI Growth Zone in North East England, aligning its supercomputing assets and academic programmes with regional technology initiatives. This domestic framework complements the university’s international research partnerships across the European technology sector.
Mike Shipman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost at Durham University, said that the AI Growth Zone would allow the university to use its “expertise in cutting-edge AI research, supercomputing capabilities, and graduate skills” for the benefit “of the region and the wider UK economy”.
Image source: Durham University
