A new National Data Strategy has commenced to help the UK’s economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The plan includes five priorities the government must take to capitalise on data opportunities, and make the UK a “global champion of data.”
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said that around 500 public sector analysts will be trained in data science by 2021, and fellowships working closely with the UK government’s data science team will be on offer to attract world-class tech talent.
This comes amid the government’s plans to also hire a new chief data officer that will help drive efficiency and improve public services.
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Ahead of a speech at London Tech Week’s Global Leaders Innovation Summit, UK digital secretary Oliver Dowden said: “Our response to coronavirus has shown just how much we can achieve when we can share high-quality data quickly, efficiently and ethically.
“I don’t intend to let that lesson go to waste.
“Our new National Data Strategy will maintain the high watermark of data use set during the pandemic – freeing up businesses, government and organisations to innovate, experiment and drive a new era of growth.
“I am absolutely clear that data and data use are opportunities to be embraced, rather than a threat to be guarded against.
“It aims to make sure British businesses are in a position to make the most of the digital revolution over the years and decades to come, help us use data to improve people’s lives, and position the UK as a global champion of data use.”
10 Innovation Fellowships will be created to support the digital transformation, which will also be tasked with supporting the No 10 Data Science team and Government Digital Service networks, among others.
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Source: PA
