University set to host £750m national supercomputer
11 June 2025
The University of Edinburgh has been announced as the home of the UK's next national supercomputer.
The significant investment represents a huge endorsement of the University and its future as a world-leader in supercomputing and AI, recognising the strength and value of Edinburgh’s expertise.
Major investment
The UK Government has confirmed funding of up to £750 million for this vital piece of national infrastructure, which will be located at the University's Advanced Computing Facility.
Announced as part of the Chancellor’s Spending Review, the new supercomputer will give scientists across the UK access to compute power on a world-leading scale.
It places the University, the city of Edinburgh and wider region at the centre of a nation-wide effort to drive technological innovations and support industry using computing and AI.
The decision will protect jobs, which may otherwise have been lost from Scotland, and provide further benefits and investment to the regional economy.
Professor Sir Peter Mathieson Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of EdinburghThis significant investment will have a profoundly positive impact on the UK’s global standing, and we welcome the vast opportunities it will create for research and innovation. Building on the University of Edinburgh's expertise and experience over decades, this powerful supercomputer will drive economic growth by supporting advancements in medicine, bolstering emerging industries and public services, and unlocking the full potential of AI. We look forward to working alongside the UK Government and other partners to deliver this critical UK-wide resource.
New horizons
Once operational, the supercomputer will provide high-performance computing capability for key research and industry projects across the UK.
It will enable researchers to undertake large-scale complex modelling, test scientific theories and improve products and public services in areas including medicine, climate change and national security.
The new supercomputer will vastly exceed the capacity of ARCHER2, the current national supercomputer also hosted by the University.
It will work alongside the forthcoming AI research resource, a network of the UK’s most powerful supercomputers built to bolster scientific research.
Professor Mark Parsons Director of EPCC and Dean of Research Computing at the University of EdinburghI am incredibly proud that we have been confirmed to host the UK’s new national supercomputer. These are immensely complex systems, and we will use everything we have learned over the past 30 years to run the best possible service for our thousands of users from across the UK’s scientific and industrial research communities.
Further information
UK Government announcement: Scotland to host UK’s national supercomputer as Chancellor confirms £750 million investment