University of Exeter takes lead in £11.5m AI project to transform global policymaking

Exeter researchers are set to play a leading role in a new £11.5 million international project that will use artificial intelligence to transform how governments access and use scientific evidence.

The £11.5m METIUS project, led by Queen's University Belfast with the University of Exeter and PenARC, will tackle urgent global issues such as climate change, education and public safety. 

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METIUS aims to solve that problem by developing AI-driven tools that deliver relevant, and accessible evidence directly to decision-makers.

Exeter’s role will be at the heart of the programme, with teams at the University of Exeter and Newcastle University spearheading the project’s Methods Work Package.

This strand will focus on creating “living evidence syntheses”, continuously updated summaries of research that can be rapidly applied to policymaking.

Professor Ruth Garside, from Exeter's European Centre for Environment and Human Health, will lead the work. 

She said: "The sheer volume and range of new research is a real challenge for policymakers who need to act quickly on key issues like climate change and international development 

We're hoping to develop concrete methods that will allow interaction between AI and researchers to help us cut through that noise and synthesise evidence more effectively - ultimately ensuring that critical decisions are informed by the most relevant and up-to-date scientific findings." 

Professor Jo Thompson-Coon, part of the Exeter's PenARC Evidence Synthesis Team, added: "We are excited that PenARC is part of this transformative effort.

Evidence synthesis has always been at the heart of what we do – METIUS gives us the opportunity to scale it up, speed it up, and ensure evidence truly reaches decision-makers when and where it matters.”

The project will also deliver pilot projects in areas such as education, justice, and the environment, and build global networks to strengthen evidence-based policy.

Funding comes from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), with co-funding from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

The initiative marks another milestone for Exeter’s reputation as a leader in world-class research, with the university ranked among the Top 15 in the UK and in the Top 200 globally.