We now wish to support the development and growth of new master’s-level degree programmes in health data science that meet all of the following criteria:

  • Build on scientific excellence and postgraduate training track-record in the bidding institution
  • Show innovative approaches to training either health/life sciences graduates or quantitative sciences graduates as members of multidisciplinary health data science teams
  • Include non-academic public and/or private sector partners in the planning and/or delivery of the degree scheme
  • Show substantial institutional commitment in the form of contributions in cash and/or in kind.

Successful Bids

Following an open competition to UK universities and a selection process that included an independent panel of academics, health professionals and a patient representative, the following universities have been selected to lead the masters programmes:

Each of the successful institutions demonstrated scientific excellence, a track record in postgraduate training, innovative approaches to further education and strong institutional commitment.  They will be funded to deliver a three-year student intake between 2020 and 2023.

Professor Peter Diggle, Director of Training at Health Data Research UK, said: “We are delighted to support these six universities to develop these vital programmes, which will enable life sciences or quantitative sciences graduates to be effective members of health data research teams.  The programmes will genuinely integrate statistics, informatics and health science and will be aimed at medical students and life sciences graduates who are keen to develop their quantitative skills, or at core maths, physics, statistics or computing graduates who want to move into the health science arena.  This brings us one step closer to building a community to lead the health data science revolution.”