University of Manchester to support major new AI science initiative
17 December 2025 | 13:03 Europe/London
The University of Manchester has been named a partner in a major European Commission effort to scale the use of artificial intelligence across scientific research. The initiative, Resource for AI Science in Europe (RAISE), will bring together computing power, data, expertise, and funding to help researchers apply AI across disciplines.
What RAISE is setting up
Following an announcement at the AI in Science Summit in Copenhagen, the SCIANCE (AI in Science) consortium - which includes researchers at The University of Manchester - has been invited to enter into a grant agreement to deliver the development and pilot phase of RAISE under Horizon Europe. The aim is straightforward: coordinate AI-enabled science across Europe through a bottom-up, community-driven approach that matches scientific priorities.
SCIANCE will work with top research organisations and major research facilities across five focus areas:
- Physics and astronomy
- Materials science
- Life sciences
- Earth sciences
- Social sciences and humanities
Deliverables researchers can plan around
- A Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for AI in science
- An implementation roadmap for infrastructure upgrades
- The RAISE Secretariat for AI in science to support long-term collaboration, capacity building, and alignment with European policy objectives
These provide a clear framework for funding alignment, technical upgrades, and cross-disciplinary coordination - the practical pieces researchers need to adopt AI at scale.
Manchester's contribution
The University of Manchester will bring an interdisciplinary team, including Professor Anna Scaife, who will serve as Scientific Coordinator for Astronomy and Astrophysics, and Dr Rebecca Bowler from the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, supported by Professor Sami Kaski from the Manchester Centre for AI Fundamentals.
"The University of Manchester is home to world-leading research in fundamental physics and astrophysics, and has an established reputation for the multi-disciplinary development of AI for Science. As part of the SCIANCE consortium we aim to leverage this expertise to support the growth of a connected European community for transformative AI-enabled science." - Professor Anna Scaife
RAISE is a flagship initiative under the European Strategy for AI in Science and aims to position Europe as a global leader in AI-enabled research by supporting scientists to develop and apply AI for transformative discoveries.
Jonas L'Haridon, Project Coordinator, ESF, said: "SCIANCE represents a unique opportunity to coordinate AI-enabled science across Europe - connecting research communities, infrastructures and AI expertise in a way that truly reflects scientific priorities."
Why this matters for research teams
Expect clearer priorities, easier routes to compute and data, and shared practices that cut the time from idea to result. With a dedicated SRIA, an infrastructure roadmap, and a central Secretariat, labs can plan investments, build capacity, and collaborate across institutions with fewer friction points.
For context on the funding framework behind this initiative, see Horizon Europe.
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