AI, Data & Digitalisation
The digital transformation is irreversible, rapid and has changed much over the past decade. Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a key role in digitisation and has endless applications. It is expected to have a massive socio-economic impact, and it relates to many challenges we are facing. The Erasmus University, the Erasmus medical centre and the Delft University of Technology joined to study together how we can contribute to these challenges in society and health care ‘with’ and ‘in’ AI, and how the global scientific world can take a permanent leading role in this field.
Innovation & Research Programme
A distinction is made between research ‘in AI’ (fundamental AI research) and research ‘with AI’ (applied AI research). Several focus themes are key in AI, Data & Digitalisation, in which the boundaries between alpha, beta and gamma sciences are abolished. These themes are; AI for Energy & Sustainability, Health & Care, Port & Maritime, Technological industry, Peace justice & Security, and Fintech.
In line with the themes, we have launched Convergence centers that work with AI and apply the fundamental AI research discussed in the themes. These centers are; Center for Energy System Intelligence, Ai port Research & Innovation Center, Zuid-Holland MKB Data Studio, Center for Responsible AI in Healthcare, Convergence Center for Fintech, and Center for Law, Design and AI.
We currently have two Convergence AI Labs. One focuses on Social Empowerment in the Feminist Generative AI Lab, and the other on Immersive technologies. In the two labs, researchers from Delft University of Technology and Erasmus University Rotterdam have joined forces in their research.
Education
The knowledge cluster has the following ambitions in the field of education:
- Offering specialised AI education specifically for fundamental knowledge development, aimed at training 1,500 students per year in interdisciplinary thinking and a multidisciplinary approach to AI subjects;
- Teaching basic knowledge in the field of AI, Data & Digitalisation across the board, aiming to reach 85,000 students;
- Hands-on training of professionals and alumni in basic knowledge of AI, Data & Digitalisation, aiming to reach 85,000 professionals and alumni.
Houses of AI
To boost our education, research, and innovation goals, we have created a hybrid campus. It’ll have hubs in Delft and Rotterdam, linked by a virtual network of AI labs. This setup brings AI expertise and applications together. Right now, we have two main AI houses: Mondai | House of AI at the TU Delft Campus and The Data Collaboratory at the Erasmus Centre for Data analytics in Rotterdam.
