The Department of Informatics is a cutting-edge place to study and research the field of computer science and the technologies that are transforming our lives today and tomorrow. We aim to consider fundamental scientific questions as well as respond to key societal challenges and opportunities in an increasingly complex digital world.
Outstanding teaching
We deliver the highest quality undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in computer science and artificial intelligence, through the commitment and enthusiasm of our staff within a stimulating, research-led context. Studying in the department gives you access not only to world-leading experts in their field, but current students who are researching and developing cutting-edge technologies and start-ups to advance the industry.
World-leading research
Our renowned research profile attracts funding grants and projects from major national and international funders as well as business and industrial partners and public sector bodies. Our research is organised into research groups centred on the areas of algorithms, data analysis, cybersecurity, data and systems privacy, artificial intelligence, human centred computing, reasoning and planning, and software systems.
Cross-cutting hubs in health, security, urban living and finance provide a virtual clustering of researchers, with the fifth hub (autonomous systems) providing a technology focus for the Department as a whole.
We support a thriving community of PhD students from all over the world, who play a vital part in advancing innovation and cutting-edge discovery across our research. Our postgraduate researchers consider fundamental scientific questions as well as the key societal challenges and opportunities of an increasingly complex digital world. The Department also leads the UKRI Centre for Doctoral Training in Safe and Trusted Artificial Intelligence, which is training the next generation of researchers in model-based AI approaches and their use in ensuring the safety and trustworthiness of AI systems.
A diverse and friendly community
Our staff and students come from all over the world, providing a rich environment for teaching and research. Diversity is positively encouraged with a number of family-friendly policies in operation, the right to apply for flexible working, and support for staff returning from periods of extended absence, for example maternity leave.
The department also boasts a friendly and inclusive culture, with regular social events bringing staff and students together.
Our impact and engagement
Through our active promotion of innovation, impact creation, and knowledge and technology transfer, we have created a thriving ecosystem of research partnerships and collaborations with industry, the publics sector and the arts and cultural institutes. We offer multiple approaches to engagement, including including consultancy by field experts, collaborative projects of various scale with industry and public organisations, executive education, as well as student projects co-designed and co-supervised by our external partners and student-led start-ups.
These efforts are enhanced by our location in the historic and redeveloped Bush House on the recently transformed Strand Cultural Quarter. We are close to the cultural hub of the West End and South Bank, major government departments in Whitehall, and the leading financial institutions of the City.