£3.5m funding boost for CHEDDAR hub
Published: 30 April 2025
A national research project supported by the University of Glasgow which is working to develop the communications technologies of tomorrow has received a £3.5m funding boost.
A national research project supported by the University of Glasgow which is working to develop the communications technologies of tomorrow has received a £3.5m funding boost.
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Peter Kyle, announced the new funding for the CHEDDAR Hub during his keynote address at the TechUK Tech Policy Conference last month.
CHEDDAR, the Communications Hub for Empowering Distributed clouD computing Applications and Research, is a consortium of six UK universities led by Imperial College London.
The CHEDDAR Hub partners are focused on developing the foundational technologies that will power the next generation of digital infrastructure. With a particular emphasis on distributed cloud computing, CHEDDAR is tackling the challenge of delivering trustworthy, efficient, and sustainable communication systems to support emerging technologies like AI, autonomous systems, and smart cities.
In addition to Imperial College London and the University of Glasgow, CHEDDAR is supported by researchers from Cranfield University, Durham University, the University of Leeds and the University of York.
CHEDDAR is one of three national Future Telecoms Research Hubs, supported through a £15 million investment by UKRI’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
These hubs will drive early-stage research into the future of telecommunications networks, underpinning advances in 6G and beyond, and will together form a new Federated Communications Hub.
Professor Muhammad Imran, head of the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering is leading the University’s contribution to CHEDDAR. He said: “I’m proud that the University of Glasgow is involved in the CHEDDAR Hub, which will help the UK maintain its world-leading position in future communications technologies and networks. It’s a reflection of the excellence of our research base in this area, which draws in expertise across a wide range of specialisms.”
The CHEDDAR Hub is working closely with industry, regulators, and the public sector to ensure that UK telecoms research drives meaningful innovation and economic growth.
Its work will play a vital role in supporting strategic national priorities — from net zero to inclusive digital transformation. CHEDDAR will serve as a key contributor to this growing ecosystem, helping ensure the UK remains at the forefront of global communications innovation.
Professor Dame Muffy Calder, of the School of Computing Science, is part of the University of Glasgow’s CHEDDAR team. She said: “I'm excited to be part of the CHEDDAR project, collaborating with brilliant minds at the University of Glasgow and institutions across the UK. With the University's expertise in the sector and its pioneering research into future communications technologies, we're well-positioned to shape the infrastructure that will power the next generation of innovations.”
Professor Qammer H. Abbasi of the James Watt School of Engineering, who is director of the University of Glasgow’s Communication Sensing and Imaging hub, said: “Glasgow researchers will contribute across two pillars of the CHEDDAR project in areas including RAN architecture and tool and integrated sensing and communications. We're excited to be contributing our expertise to this collaborative effort, and we look forward to working with partners in the months to come.”
First published: 30 April 2025