Teesside University to help deliver £11.5m AI-driven project to transform global policymaking

Teesside University is taking part in a groundbreaking £11.5m AI-driven project that will transform how governments around the world use research evidence to inform decision-making on urgent issues like climate change, education, and public safety.

Teesside University Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Croney OBE (far-left) and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Knowledge Exchange) Professor Stephen Cummings (far-right) with the University's METIUS team

The Mobilising Evidence Through AI and User-informed Synthesis (METIUS) project is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through ESRC and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), with co-funding from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

Governments often struggle to keep up with the huge amount of scientific research being published. Important findings can be hard to find or too complex to use in time-sensitive decisions. This project aims to fix that by creating a faster, smarter way to bring the best available evidence directly to the people who need it most.

The METIUS consortium of international partners is being led by Queen University Belfast and, as well as Teesside University, also includes UCL, the Campbell Collaboration and the Pan-African Collective for Evidence. Together, they will:

• Use AI to speed up how research is gathered, analysed, and summarised.
• Create easy-to-understand tools that help policymakers use this evidence.
• Launch pilot projects in key areas like education, justice, international development and the environment.
• Build global networks to support evidence-based decision-making.

Professor Dorothy Newbury-Birch and Dr Jennifer Ferguson, from Teesside University's School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Law, who are both part of the Campbell Collaboration are responsible for co-leading the Criminal Justice work package of the METIUS project, with Dr Andrew Divers as the lead researcher on the project.

Professor Newbury-Birch said: "Driving social impact through the efficient use of latest technologies is a key part of Teesside University's research mission.

"We are very exciting to be involved in this project which will change the ways academics and policy makers carry out and use systematic reviews to make changes related to inequities in our country."

Dr Ferguson added: "This project is going to change the landscape of systematic reviewing, and as an early career researcher I am thrilled to help lead this change. It is a huge moment in my career and I am excited to get started in October."

Science Minister, Lord Patrick Vallance, said: "The challenge for policymakers is often in sourcing the specific information they need from troves of research, rather than a lack of available evidence.

"This UK-led project will use AI to pinpoint the information researchers need, and quickly, to improve outcomes in everything from education to justice, climate change to international development, which ultimately benefits us all."

Stian Westlake, Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Executive Chair said: "AI has enormous potential to turn a mass of diffuse research into synthesised, useful summaries, which can help policy makers and practitioners deliver better outcomes for citizens.

"This new infrastructure investment has the potential to transform how evidence informs policy decisions, and strengthen the UK's position as a leader in research and innovation, driving economic growth and improving lives across the country."

Andrea Cook, Executive Director, United Nations Sustainable Development Group System-wide Evaluation Office said: "Access to high-quality, timely evidence is essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. This initiative represents an important step forward in bridging the gap between research and policy, enabling more effective and evidence-informed decision-making globally."