Digital Economy Sustainable Society Network+

Sustainable Development and Sustainability are some of the most commonly talked about concepts in media today. "Sustainable Society", however, remains very difficult to actually define. For the purposes of this Network+, however, we have selected the following as a working definition:
"A Sustainable Society refers to one that takes into account the benefit of future generations of both the UK and the earth in its decision making processes through the protection and appropriate use of our economic, social and natural resources".
While the potential role that ICT can play has long been touted in the commercial sector, true interdisciplinary research covering the multitude of aspects involved in economically, socially and environmentally viable solutions for society is sparse. Some pockets of evidence exist that indicate the potential for ICT to have on sustainability, these remain pockets, however, and there is a need to ensure the continued collaboration around these important topics.
At the same time, digital technologies are in the process of tearing down traditional barriers between sectors, and the mobile and cloud computing platforms may be viewed as forming the "nexus of contracts" of the global economy. The role that these platforms play has a distinct role in the development of sustainable regions and nations as new communities, businesses and structures of government are formed in response to the incredible rise in data streams. For example, the vision of responsive and agile local services was traditionally hampered by a shortage of information. Today, the problem is opposite - information overload.
Research into the role of ICT in supporting the development of a sustainable society covers an extremely large number of research areas, from water, waste, energy, local and national transport infrastructures, national and international supply chains, rural and urban enterprise infrastructures, community development and social infrastructure support mechanisms. The systems that form the basis of our society are now extremely complex systems, with multiple layers and multiple interactions between the economic, social and environmental spheres - it is not possible to affect one without affecting the others. Research is required to understand the nature of these interactions and how to best deliver services within them.
In such complicated systems, it is extremely difficult for academics working in these areas to know the right people in other research groups and areas. Often, researchers have to bypass opportunities to apply for research grants because they do not have the right research partners, be they academic, industrial or third sector/NGO. As a result, opportunities to address policy and research challenges within Digital Economy are missed. In addition, UK companies are unable to take advantage of a multidisciplinary approach to their problems so the opportunity to create genuine, lasting, real-world change and value creation is also missed.
Over the next three years, we aim to redress these missed opportunities. This Network+ aims to change the landscape of connections between research communities in order to create a vibrant network of researchers who take not just a Digital Economy approach back to their home disciplines, but a Sustainable Society approach as well. We aim to seed a grassroots movement across Britain of researchers who naturally approach research questions from an economic, social and environmental perspective, with a particular focus on creating links between current researchers and the next generation of researchers. Through establishing these links, we will also identify the emerging research challenges within the Digital Economy.

The DE Challenge Area Sustainable Society Network+ will create impact on several levels, including academic communities across the broad spectrum of activities ongoing within the context of 'Sustainable Society', the third sector and industry both nationally and internationally as and when appropriate. Through these interactions, Network+ membership will identify the new research challenges associated with the use of ICT to create a sustainable economy, environment and society.

Every project funded through this Network+ will be deliver impact both to the Network and the wider communities that members are associated with. Each project will report back its findings to the Network+ and illustrate those research challenges that they have uncovered. In this manner, impact is designed into the heart of every project that will be run during these network activities.

The research community associated with 'Sustainable Society' contains great breadth and depth. Every activity will therefore contain some aspect of interdisciplinarity or multidisciplinarity. Through this Network+, new research collaborations well be formed that allow members to exchange methods, best practice, knowledge, background and access to other relevant networks.

This Network+ will also inform the research challenges that will help define potential future research areas within the application of ICT to the creation of a Sustainable Society. Through this, the SS Network will create not just new avenues for research but also identify emerging areas of interest.

SS Network will engage fully with the existing DE communities that are already established, for example the DE hubs and the DTCs across the country. The SS Network will ensure that there is a suitable level of network activity across the UK in order to ensure as great a potential for impact as possible for all members of the Network.

Specifically, network activities are focussed around creating impact through capacity development for members in order to become ambassadors for 'Sustainable Society', empowering them to take the message to as wide a community of people as possible. All network activities are designed around ensuring that this 'network of networks' is created and nourished from day one.