Doctoral researchers at the University of Westminster have joined forces with peers from across London to launch the Digital Research Technical Champion scheme, advocating for the use of digital technologies in various academic disciplines.
The Digital Research Technical Champion scheme was launched at Imperial College London on 13 October, bringing together 25 doctoral researchers from the University of Westminster, Imperial College London, University College London and King’s College London to champion the use of digital technology across a range of subjects and share experiences and ideas.
Westminster’s Champions are all undertaking research degrees in different areas of the University, including the Westminster Law School, the School of Life Sciences and the School of Finance and Accounting. The first four to be recruited are Merin Thyagu Pereira, Obasanjo Okekunle, Soumya Sharma and Taiwo Oligbo, who have been tasked with promoting awareness and more efficient use of digital technologies within their own discipline, school and at a wider university level.
Until the end of July 2026, the champions will work up to 100 hours to organise formal and informal events, such as training, themed social gatherings, school or university-level showcases, drop-in sessions and seminars. The aim is to explore how academics and fellow doctoral researchers utilise digital technologies, namely software, data or computing infrastructure, in their everyday work and how this knowledge can be shared and further enhanced via collaboration.
The scheme is sponsored by the EPSRC-funded Strategic TEchnical Platform for University technical Professionals (STEP-UP) project, which is building a London-based platform to support the development of communities, skills and career opportunities for digital Research Technical Professionals (dRTPs). Under the leadership of Professor Tamas Kiss, Westminster’s Centre for Parallel Computing forms part of the project’s core team.
About the launch Westminster doctoral researcher Soumya Sharma said: “Attending the launch event and being appointed as a Digital Research Technical Champion was a truly inspiring experience. It provided a valuable opportunity to connect with researchers from a range of disciplines and partner universities, and to exchange ideas on how we can collectively enhance the use of digital technologies in research and academia.”
About the scheme Professor Kiss said: “I am delighted that we launched this exciting scheme with a group of enthusiastic PhD students for the first time at Westminster. At a time when no research field can ignore the influence of digital technologies, it is essential to raise awareness and explore the best utilisation of digital tools and services to stay competitive in the game.”
The Digital Research Technical Champion scheme aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. By promoting digital literacy, research skills and innovation across disciplines, the scheme supports inclusive and high-quality education while strengthening digital research infrastructure. Its collaborative framework between multiple universities fosters knowledge exchange and sustainable partnerships.
Find out more about the University of Westminster Graduate School.
Related articles
