University of Edinburgh is co-lead for Scotland’s only Policing Academic Centre of Excellence

The University of Edinburgh will partner with three institutions to deliver Scotland’s only Policing Academic Centre of Excellence (P-ACE).

The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) has announced that nine new P-ACEs will launch across the UK in October 2025, funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

The Scottish P-ACE will be led by Edinburgh Napier University, in partnership with the University of Edinburgh, Glasgow Caledonian University, and the University of St Andrews.

Backed by £4.5m in funding and working with police services across the UK, the Centres of Excellence will aim to ensure that policing is shaped by the latest and best scientific expertise, and that leading researchers are able to challenge and innovate in partnership with policing. The P-ACEs will support police with adopting new technologies, developing new tools and techniques, improving training and skills, and increasing public safety.

The Edinburgh Napier University-based centre will be entitled SPACE – the Scottish Policing Academic Centre for Excellence. The name also links its key research themes, each of which is critical to modern policing: safety, prevention, analytics, confidence and ethics.

Edinburgh Law School’s Professor Susan McVie will lead the SPACE centre’s workstream on data and AI. Professor McVie said: “Data and AI are increasingly important for modern policing – both in terms of supporting operational practice and informing policy insights. 

"Through SPACE we will aim to develop data-driven innovation and AI-based solutions to support Police Scotland in delivering on its 2030 Vision.  Our work will be done in partnership with the Scottish Prevention Hub, involving partnership from Police Scotland, Public Health Scotland and the Edinburgh Futures Institute”.

Professor Paul Taylor, Police Chief Scientific Adviser, said: “Academia and policing have a long history of collaborative working on issues as diverse as forensic science, crime prevention, and analytical technologies.

“The P-ACEs will fortify this connection, providing a focal point for research and knowledge exchange.

“I’m particularly excited about what the P-ACEs can bring to early career scientists who are interested in tackling the complex challenge of keeping the UK public safe. The P-ACE community will, I hope, provide them more opportunities and greater support as we look to forge deep and lasting partnerships over the next decade.”

SPACE collaboration

The Centre will be led by Professor Liz Aston, Edinburgh Napier University and involves experts from across the Scottish Institute for Policing Research member institutions, SPACE will work across three main themes:

• Safety, led by Dr Andrew Wooff, Edinburgh Napier University and co-lead for the SIPR Organisational Development Network. This builds on Edinburgh Napier University’s reputation for impactful policing research linked to safety, including the award-winning study into Police Scotland’s use of naloxone.
• Prevention, led by Dr Sarah Marsden, University of St Andrews and Professor Lesley McMillan, Glasgow Caledonian University. Dr Marsden is Director of the Handa Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, while Professor McMillan, a renowned expert on gender-based violence, is director of the Scottish Cold Case Unit at Glasgow Caledonian University.
• Analytics, led by Professor Susan McVie, University of Edinburgh, will work in partnership with Police Scotland and the Scottish Prevention Hub. This area will bring together a network of academics who will use data driven innovation and AI-based solutions to support operational practice and policy decision making.

In addition, Confidence and Ethics will shape all of SPACE’s academic work and builds on developments including the independent review of emerging technologies in policing.

You can find out more on the SPACE website.