Centre for AI and Decision Sciences
Positioned at the intersection of AI, decision sciences, and real-world applications, the centre for AI and Decision Sciences (AID) is advancing the future of data-driven and responsible decision-making. Bringing together interdisciplinary expertise, AID advances the theory and application of AI and Decision Sciences by addressing complex societal and business challenges through innovative, ethical and high-impact research.
The centre was relaunched in 2025 to reflect the evolution of our research focus towards AI-powered decision-making. This centre has a long and successful history. It was originally established in 2003 as the Decision Sciences Research Centre at The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology and was rebranded in 2010 as the Decision and Cognitive Science Research Centre (DCSRC) at The University of Manchester, reflecting its widened membership and interdisciplinary scope.
The centre has an established reputation for conducting extensive research in AI and Decision Sciences, including Data Analytics, Machine Learning, Optimisation, Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis, Decision Support Systems, and the applications of AI across various business sectors. The centre has been highly successful in securing major research grants, producing high-quality publications and developing industry collaborations.
In the era of AI, the centre aims to further establish itself as a world-leading research centre of excellence in Applied AI, Data Analytics, Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis, and Decision Support Systems, promoting research, business applications as well as education for Digital, Sustainable, and Healthy Futures.
AID regularly hosts seminars and workshops, creating platforms for researchers and practitioners to share insights and experiences.
Research themes
Applied AI & Analytics
Decision Sciences
Human-AI Teaming
Responsible AI
AI for Business
Key contacts
Academic Staff Members
Academic Staff |
Appointment |
|---|---|
Professor in Applied Artificial Intelligence |
|
| Michelle Carter | Professor of Information Systems |
Professor in Decision Sciences and Business Analytics |
|
Senior Lecturer in Management Science |
|
Presidential Fellow in Data Science |
|
Lecturer in Management Science |
|
Professor of Data Analytics |
|
| Ahmed Kheiri | Senior Lecturer in Management Science |
Professor of Optimisation |
|
| Luis Ospina-Forero | Presidential Fellow in Data Science |
| Fanlin Meng | Lecturer in Data Science |
Professor of Information & Decision Systems |
|
| Senior Lecturer in Information Systems and Supply Chain Management | |
Senior Lecturer in Decision Sciences |
|
Senior Lecturer in Data Science |
|
| Azar Shahgholian | Lecturer in Information Systems |
| Hai-Anh Tran | Senior Lecturer in Marketing |
Ting Wu |
Teaching Associate & Project Researcher |
Professor of Decision Sciences and Systems |
|
Professor of Decision and Systems Sciences |
|
Lecturer in Data Science |
|
Professor of Data and Decision Engineering |
Honorary, Visiting and Associate Members
| Dr. Oscar de Bruijn | OdB Consulting, Honorary Member of AMBS in Cognitive Science |
| Professor Joshua Knowles | Invenia Labs, Honorary Professor of AMBS in Natural Computation |
| Dr. Zhiyuan Lin | University of Leeds, Honorary Member of DCSRC in Decision Sciences |
| Dr. Lei Ni | RTI Health Solutions, Honorary Research Fellow of AMBS in Management Sciences |
| Professor N. R. Srinivasa Raghavan | Tarxya Limited., Honorary Professor of AMBS in Data Science & AI |
| Professor Alan Pearman | University of Leeds, UK |
| Professor Bob Wood | University of Manchester, UK |
| Professor Kostas Nikolopoulos | Durham University, UK |
| Professor Malcolm Beynon | Cardiff University |
| Professor Kwai-Sang Chin | City University of Hong Kong, China |
| Professor Jutta Geldermann | University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany |
| Professor John Maule | Leeds University, UK |
| Professor Francisco Ruiz de la Rua | University of Malaga, Spain |
| Professor Ahti Salo | Aalto University, Finland |
| Professor Ralph E Steuer | University of Georgia, USA |
| Mr. Spiros Potamitis | Senior Data Scientist, Global Technology Practice at SAS |
Engagement
The Centre links theoretical and fundamental research to real world issues, and attracts externally-sponsored (both private and public sector) research and consultancy projects.
Members of the Centre have had extensive collaborations with external bodies mainly through joint research and consultancy projects. The following are some of the organisations with which members have had recent and/or current research/consultancy collaborations:
Academic Collaborators
- School of Engineering, Liverpool John Moores University
- School of Manufacturing Engineering and Engineering Management, City University, Hong Kong, China
- School of Psychology, University of Michigan, USA
- School of Economics and Management, University of Malaga, Spain
- Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
- Departamento de Economía Aplicada, Universidad de Sevilla, Spain
- School of Management, Hefei University of Technology, China
- Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Systems Engineering Institute, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China
- School of Public Administration, Fuzhou University, China
Industrial Collaborators
- Kennedys Law LLP
- Leap Beyond Ltd
- AXA Insurance
- Tech Valley Information Technology Ltd
- Equiniti
- DWF LLP
- Alan Turing Institute
- Connect Childcare
- Forensic Testing Services Ltd
- VWFS
- Madgex Ltd
- Pilot Group
- Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust Charity
- Mid-Cheshire NHS HFT
- British Medical Journal (BMJ Publishing Group)
- General Motors Company (GM)
- Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK*CEN)
- Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI)
- MG Motor UK Ltd
- Tesco
- Bradford and Airedale Community Health Services (BACHS)
- Mersey Maritime Ltd
- Mersey Docks & Harbour Company
- Aromco Limited
- SABMiller
- Leatherhead International Ltd
- British Nuclear Fuel Ltd (BNFL)
- United Biscuits
- Siemens UK
- United Utilities
- The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
- Barclays Bank
- PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
- European Federation of Accountants (FEE)
- US Federal Aviation Authority
- Roche Pharma
- NASA
- UN/World Bank
- OECD
- HM Revenue and Customs
- Department of Work and Pensions, UK government
- Qinetiq/Ministry of Defence
- National Nuclear Laboratory
- Christie Hospital, Manchester
- Rapiscan Systems
- Knowledge Support Systems
- Environment Protection Agency (Ireland)
- Aviva
- BP
- BT
- BA
- Deloitte
- Rolls Royce
- Zurich Financial
- Ministry of Justice
- Surrey County Council