The Alan Turing Institute has been awarded a $4 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to continue its work on developing secure and trustworthy digital public infrastructure (DPI) for countries in the Global South.
The Alan Turing Institute has announced a renewed three-year partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, aimed at expanding its work on trustworthy digital infrastructure systems. This $4 million grant will build upon the existing four-year collaboration, which has already seen an investment of $5.1 million in enhancing security and privacy aspects of national-scale digital ID infrastructure.
The project will focus on five key challenge areas, including risk mitigation, cross-border interoperability, secure data sharing, capacity building, and cyber risk assessment. A notable initiative within this project is the launch of a Digital Identity Cyber Threats Observatory, which will monitor various sources to identify emerging cyber threats relevant to national digital identity systems.
Led by Professor Carsten Maple, Turing Fellow, and Professor Jon Crowcroft, Special Adviser to the Executive at The Alan Turing Institute, the research outcomes will be disseminated as a digital public good. The project aims to support low- and middle-income countries in developing reliable identification systems, which are seen as crucial for accessing essential services and accelerating economic growth.
Professor Maple emphasised the importance of this work in delivering tangible benefits to those who need it most, while Professor Crowcroft highlighted the expansion of their focus from digital identity to digital infrastructures in general, particularly digital public infrastructures.
The researchers cite examples of successful DPI implementation, such as India's UPI mobile payment system, which has contributed to financial inclusion and economic empowerment for millions of unbanked women. Such initiatives demonstrate the potential of well-designed DPI to help countries achieve national priorities and sustainable development goals.
This renewed funding underscores the continued importance of developing secure and trustworthy digital identity systems in the Global South. As digital IDs become increasingly crucial in our digital society, the Alan Turing Institute's work could significantly impact access to essential services and economic growth in developing countries.