The new Schools of Convergence Science will help Imperial supercharge scientific discovery and drive economic growth.
Imperial's new Schools of Convergence Science will focus the university's world leading strengths across science, technology and business on some of the most urgent global challenges.
Science and technology underpin every high-growth sector in the UK's industrial strategy. Imperial's Schools of Convergence Science will transform that foundation into faster progress, deeper innovation and stronger economic growth.
"Every day, Imperial's staff, students and partners come together to interrogate the forces shaping our world, confront society's most urgent challenges, and shape a better future." Professor Hugh Brady President of Imperial College London
The School of Health and Technology, the School of Sustainability, the School of Space, Security and Telecoms, and the School of Human and Artificial Intelligence will create new research and innovation communities, where new ways of thinking arise from deep integration of disciplines and embedded systems-thinking. Rather than aligning to any one field, the Schools will be driven by ambitious missions – such as ultra-fast worldwide disaster relief, empathetic artificial intelligence, global clean air and water, and the widespread embedding of health diagnostics into everyday settings.
Convergence Science is a transformative approach to research - bringing together disciplines, sectors and methods to tackle society's most complex challenges. It moves beyond collaboration to deep integration, combining knowledge in novel ways to develop breakthrough tools, languages, models and, ultimately, solutions.
By breaking down the boundaries of traditional scientific disciplines and industry sectors, Imperial's Schools of Convergence Science will accelerate research and technological progress, building high-velocity, high-impact pathways from the lab to the real world. They will support adventurous thinking, entrepreneurial disruption and independent inquiry - where cross-sectoral partnerships and new research cultures lay the groundwork for emerging breakthroughs.
Imperial College London, recently ranked second in the world in a major university league table, has a greater proportion of world-leading research than any other UK university. The Schools of Convergence Science are a central pillar of Imperial's Strategy, Science for Humanity, which launched last year and sets out how Imperial will maximise its potential as a force for good in the world.
Professor Hugh Brady, President of Imperial College London, said: "Every day, Imperial's staff, students and partners come together to interrogate the forces shaping our world, confront society's most urgent challenges, and shape a better future. That shared mission is at the heart of our success.
"These new Schools of Convergence Science will deepen our commitment to this cause - pursuing scientific progress and impact with exceptional energy, courage and scale to tackle the most complex problems of our time."
Professor Mary Ryan, Vice Provost (Research and Enterprise), said: "What world would we want to create for a future global citizen? How do we make sure they inhabit a planet and live in a society that is sustainable, healthy, safe and prosperous?
"The most intractable current global challenges - climate change, health inequality, digital security - are borderless and deeply interconnected. Imperial's new Schools of Convergence Science are designed to meet this complexity head-on.
"By uniting the full breadth of our university's excellence across science, engineering, business, and medicine, these Schools will act as 'constructive disruptors' to create powerful, integrated solutions with global impact. This is science reimagined, for a reimagined future, and for a world that demands bold thinking and transformative solutions."
The School of Health and Technology
The School of Health & Technology – led by Anthony Bull (Convener), Iain McNeish, Marisa Miraldo and Faith Osier - will drive convergence between disciplines, technologies and mindsets to shift the global conversation from treating illness to sustaining lifelong health across diverse populations, geographies and systems.
The School of Sustainability
The School of Sustainability – led by Mirabelle Muûls (Convenor) Benjamin Barratt , Alyssa Gilbert and Nilay Shah - will accelerate solutions that drive both planetary health and human prosperity, in pursuit of a world where people can live meaningfully, prosperously and in harmony with the planet.
The School of Human and Artificial Intelligence
The School of Human and Artificial Intelligence – led by Alessandra Russo (Convenor), Payam Barnaghi, Will Branford and Aldo Faisal will drive impact by augmenting intelligence of humans and machines to support and help humanity thrive. AI promises to augment human capabilities, automate complex tasks, and spark unprecedented progress in almost every field.
The School of Space, Security and Telecoms
The School of Space, Security & Telecoms – led by Jonathan Eastwood (Convener), Kin Leung , Julie McCann and Matthew Santer - will explore three distinct themes: to connect, protect and know our worlds. Its work will set the global agenda at the intersection of these disciplines.
