Digital Economy

An open research platform for interdisciplinary research on innovations enabled by new technology

The digital economy is one of the cornerstones of growth and employment as well as an important innovator for the industry, business, services and procedures. The Digital Economy platform of the University of Vaasa is an open research platform for interdisciplinary research on innovations enabled by new technology as well as their impact on individuals, organisations, industry and society. Research objects include AI, machine learning, automation and the impact of digitalisation on ways of working, communicating and building business.

The research platform makes use of the multidisciplinary expertise found at the university along with extensive cooperation with businesses, the public sector, and other research institutes and institutes of higher education.

Research

The Digital Economy is a phenomenon-based, multidisciplinary open research platform focusing its activities on digital technologies and their impacts on businesses, individuals, and organisations. Research within the Digital Economy platform concentrates on the digital transformation in industry and society. Topics include various aspects of data – generating, collecting, transferring, storing, analysing, managing, utilising, protecting, and securing. The platform impact will be realised through extensive research collaboration with other research institutes and universities, businesses, and public sector organisations.

The platform is mainly operating via externally funded research and development projects.

research programmes

Research topics and interests in the platform are related, but not limited to, e.g.:

  • Artificial intelligence and machine learning in industry and decision making
  • Smart Industry       
    • robotised logistics, manufacturing and transport
    • resilient IoT and connectivity (5G and beyond)
    • sustainable automation
  • Data analytics in business and FinTech
  • Virtualisation
  • Development and utilisation of big data, open data
    and cloud services
  • MyData – data rights, ownership, ethics and regulation
  • Digital crowdsourcing platforms and ecosystems
  • Intelligent and robust ICT of power systems and distribution
  • Sensing in the built environment, situational awareness and space-based data utilisation