GMCA partners with University of Salford to unlock barriers to data sharing

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and the University of Salford have begun a two-and-a-half year knowledge transfer partnership (KTP) to support a data sharing framework across the city-region.

The project will entail the University, GMCA and researcher, Idris Adekeye, developing, designing and piloting a business change toolkit in line with GMCA’s Greater Manchester Information Strategy that helps to enable greater collaboration across all ten councils. The toolkit will help catalyse the transition towards more efficient working methods, by improving processes and data access to unlock barriers to sharing information.

Effective data sharing and use of information will help support Greater Manchester’s central strategic goal of supporting economic growth and reducing inequality and tackle other serious challenges for the city-region.

The collaboration between the University of Salford and GMCA is being supported with a £220,000 grant from Innovate UK.

Cllr Nick Peel, GMCA Lead for Digital and Information Strategy Champion, said:

“We are thrilled to partner with the University of Salford in this project. This collaboration is key in making significant steps toward creating a robust framework for data sharing across Greater Manchester. By overcoming barriers to information sharing, we can unlock new opportunities for economic growth, innovation, and improved public services. The support from Innovate UK will enable us to tackle the region’s challenges more effectively, for the benefit of our communities. This partnership is a testament to our commitment to leveraging data responsibly and collaboratively, ensuring that we remain a world-leading digital city region demonstrating innovation with meaningful impact across the city-region.”

Dr Maria Kutar, Director of Undergraduate Business at the University of Salford’s Business School, commented:

“Data is an incredibly valuable asset which can completely transform the way an organisation operates and makes critical decisions. However, there’s currently a lot of fear around GDPR risks with many local authorities and third sector organisations reluctant to share data, due to concerns around breaching regulations.

“An effective framework to encourage information sharing, while helping organisations to navigate regulation, will support education, health and social care, local council services, plus community and social enterprise organisations, amongst other areas, to provide a more dynamic service that better supports the local community.”

Dr Gordon Fletcher, Associate Dean for Research and Innovation at the University of Salford’s Business School, added:

“This toolkit will seek to transform risk-averse, siloed organisational cultures into collaborative environments that view information as an asset. It will provide clear “how-to” guidance for organisational leads on implementing practice changes, fostering a culture of confidence in data sharing, and ensuring consistent application of the framework.”