Taking place over two days in Birmingham, the conference draws on one of the most comprehensive investigations into UK-wide DRI federation ever undertaken. Project leaders, researchers, and invited experts will present the evidence, community perspectives, and strategic recommendations shaping what comes next.

Sessions will explore:

• The key recommendations for future DRI federation
• The evidence and findings underpinning the roadmap
• The projected impact across research communities and institutions
• Real-world experiences from existing and emerging federated communities

Hear directly from the community

Across the two days, sessions will take several forms:

• Community testimonials — how federation helps, and how the roadmap responds
• Roadmap insights — key recommendations, their evidence base, and their potential impact
• Project showcases — what projects set out to do, how they were supported, what they learned, and where it could lead
• Federation in practice — existing federations, and how broader collaboration under the roadmap can strengthen them

The Flexible Fund projects span an unusually broad range of research communities — from the NHS, environmental sciences, and quantum computing to arts and humanities, and early career researcher networks — together forming a landmark evidence base for the future of federated digital research infrastructure in the UK.

This is an in-person event only, and places are limited. Early registration is strongly recommended.