News
Final report of Shelter's project on Black and Black-Mixed heritage people's access to social homes in England
Dr Deborah Menezes and Dr Mehdi Rizvi | July 2025
Shelter has published a new report called ‘My colour speaks before me’. This peer-led research shows how racism and discrimination affect Black and Black Mixed heritage people’s access to social homes in England. PRIME team members Dr Mehdi Rizvi and Dr Deborah Menezes were part of this effort as members of the…
Appointment to the "Consumer Protection & Accessibility” working group, Ofgem
Dr Mehdi Rizvi | June 2025
Building up from this engagement with stakeholders during PRIME, Dr Mehdi Rizvi has been invited to join the “Consumer Protection & Accessibility” working group, in an advisory capacity, for the Consumer Consent Solution initiative by Ofgem. This initiative caters to the need to create a technical solution for consumers to grant and manage…
Excellent Presentation Award at the 5th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and Algorithms
Prof Wei Pang | 15 June 2025
PRIME demo at Heriot-Watt Health and Care Technologies Showcase
Dr Mehdi Rizvi | 5 June 2025
Dr Mehdi Rizvi represented the PRIME project at a major showcase event hosted by Heriot-Watt University’s Global Research Institute in Health and Care Technologies. The event, held at the National Robotarium, at Heriot-Watt’s Edinburgh campus, highlighted research that aims to transform health and care globally through innovation and cross-sector…
Open University Newsletter reports on the conclusion of the PRIME project
Dr Liz FitzGerald | April 2025
The Open University (OU) has played a pivotal role in the PRIME (Protecting Minority Ethnic Communities Online) project, a major three-year research initiative led by Heriot-Watt University, which is set to conclude at the end of March 2025. The project has uncovered how the rapid digitisation of essential services in the UK - particularly in…
Posters Presented at Health and Care Innovation Conference for Early Career Researchers
Dr Mehdi Rizvi, Eunice Anteh and Vijaya B Jagadeesan | March 2025
PRIME team members Dr Mehdi Rizvi, Eunice Anteh and Vijaya B Jagadeesan participated in the Health and Care Innovation Conference for Early Career Researchers, at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, on March 26, 2025. Dr Rizvi and Mr Jagadeesan presented their poster on the PRIME Technical Toolkit, focusing on…
Heriot Watt University Newsletter reports on the PRIME project outcomes
Dr Gina Netto | March 2025
Led by Professor Gina Netto of Heriot-Watt University, the interdisciplinary research team examined the impact of digitalisation on healthcare, housing, and energy services across the UK. Digitalising essential services risks widening inequalities for minoritised ethnic communities.
Conducted in four locations – Bradford, Manchester, Glasgow and the…
PRIME project publishes educational videos in 8 langauges
Dr Sara Bailey | 05 March 2025
Our research revealed that many minority ethnic individuals struggle with the use of online health and social housing services, and face challenges keeping themselves safe online when using social media. Our research further demonstrated that some minority ethnic individuals, upon facing challenges, feel disempowered and are unaware of the actions…
Keynote speech at the National Informatics Conference
Dr Siamak Shahandashti | 2025
Dr Siamak Shahandashti, Co-I PRIME project, delivered a remote keynote speech on privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) at the Iranian National Informatics Conference, a national-level event focused on cutting-edge developments in digital infrastructure and information security.
The audience of over 100 participants included industry professionals,…
Invited panel speaker at SCVO’s The Gathering
Dr Mark Wong | February 2025
Dr Mark Wong was invited to speak on a panel titled “Putting People and Values at the Heart of AI” at The Gathering, the annual flagship event hosted by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO). The panel focused on ethical, inclusive, and community-driven approaches to artificial intelligence and digital innovation.
Held in…
PRIME publishes Minoritised Ethnic People’s Code of Practice for Equitable Digital Services (MECoP)
Dr Mark Wong and Dr Aunam Quyoum | 2025
The Minoritised Ethnic People’s Code of Practice for Equitable Digital Services (MECoP), developed by Dr Mark Wong, Dr Aunam Quyoum, and Ankita Mishra, has been published to enable developers, service providers and policymakers to address issues of equity in the design and delivery of digital services.
It has already been used to…
Best Paper Presentation Award at 10th International Conference on Signal Processing 2024
Prof Wei Pang | 21 December 2024
PRIME Multi-disciplinary Presentations at REPHRAIN’s ‘All Hands Meeting’ in Edinburgh
Dr Sara Bailey | 18 July 2024
Now that the hard work of data collection and data analysis is drawing to a close, the project team was delighted to have the opportunity to bring together researchers from both the social and computer sciences to provide a cross-disciplinary overview of our key findings to partners and stakeholders at the May 2024 ‘All Hands Meeting’ which was…
Presenting PRIME at Celebrating Spaces event, University of York
Dr Sebati Ghosh | June 2024
PRIME researcher Dr Sebati Ghosh presented the PRIME project at Celebrating Spaces, a regional open day hosted by the University of York aimed at connecting early-career researchers with wider audiences, including industry, the public, and the third sector.
The event attracted over 100 attendees from a diverse mix of backgrounds, including…
Presentation at REPHRAIN Showcase by PhD researcher Eunice Anteh
Eunice Anteh | March 2024
PhD researcher Eunice Anteh presented at the REPHRAIN Showcase, sharing the aims, rationale, scope, and methods of her doctoral research on African refugee women’s experiences with digital mental health services. The presentation formed part of a national-level event attended by policymakers and professional practitioners.
Attendees engaged actively,…
New IGNITE Network+ Flexible Funding won
Dr Mennan Guder | 2024
PRIME team members have won a new funding from the IGNITE Network+ Flexible Fund worth £20000. The project titled “Navigating EDI Complexity: Addressing Challenges in the Energy Research Sector” would be led by Dr Mennan Guder (Cranfield University), with co-leads Prof. Nazmiye Balta-Ozkan (Cranfield University) and Dr Pegah Mirzania…
Appointment to Shelter's Stakeholder Advisory Group for Racism and Housing: Access to Social Housing
Dr Mehdi Rizvi and Dr Deborah Menezes | April 2024
Shelter has invited PRIME team members Dr Mehdi Rizvi and Dr Deborah Menezes to be a part of their Racism and Housing Research Advisory group. The project has a focus on people of colour facing systemic racism and discrimination when navigating the social housing system.
Invited Talk at Scottish Policy Research Exchange seminar series
Prof Gina Netto | 2024
Prof Gina Netto, Principal Investigator of the PRIME project, was invited to speak at an online seminar titled “Unpacking ‘impact’ in academic-policy engagement,” organised by the Scottish Policy Research Exchange (SPRE) for the Scottish Government. The event brought together national-level policymakers, business representatives, and other stakeholders to…
Workshops on findings of housing research in England and Scotland
Prof Gina Netto | 2023
Prof Gina Netto, Principal Investigator of the PRIME project, organised a workshop in collaboration with the Manchester-based Caribbean African Health Network, a key community partner. The event brought together 50 participants—primarily professional practitioners from housing associations and community organisations—to engage with findings from research…
PRIME Participates in ‘End Digital Poverty Day’ 2023
Dr Sara Bailey | September 2023
End Digital Poverty Day, a nationwide initiative dedicated to raising awareness about the pressing issue of digital poverty in the UK, takes place annually on 12 September. This year, the PRIME team participated in End Digital Poverty Day by publishing some of the project’s key findings in a blog post for the Digital Poverty Alliance. The post…
PRIME Presents at the Digital Inclusion Policy and Research Conference 2023
Dr Sara Bailey | September 2023
In September 2023, PRIME project team members Dr Sara Bailey, Professor Agnes Kukulska-Hulme and Dr Elizabeth FitzGerald presented some of the PRIME project’s key findings at the University of Liverpool-hosted Digital Inclusion Policy and Research Conference (DIPRC 2023). The presentation took a deep dive into the experiences of older Asian and…
Blog post published at Digital Poverty Alliance
Sara Bailey, Sacha Hasan, Farjana Islam, Aunam Quyoum | September 2023
Based on our interviews with 100 minoritized ethnic individuals living in England and Scotland, the blog post discusses how digital poverty, limited digital literacy, and inadequate language support are hindering access to digitalized services for minoritized ethnic communities. It highlights the challenges…
Invited talk at University of Almería Summer School
Dr Mark Wong | 2023
Dr Mark Wong was invited to speak at the XXIV Summer School at the University of Almería, Spain, as part of the module “Online harm and hate crime.” His talk focused on the use of co-design methods to address harms and racism experienced by Minoritised Ethnic people in digital services in the UK.
The international audience of 30 participants included…
PRIME Panel at the Scottish AI Summit
Prof Gina Netto, Prof Lynne Baillie, Dr Aunam Quyoum | April 2023
PRIME PI Professor Gina Netto (Heriot Watt University) chaired a panel which combined inputs from research team members Dr. Aunam Quyoum (University of Glasgow), Professor Lynne Baillie (Heriot Watt University) and community organisation partners Colin Lee (Chief Executive, CEMVO Scotland) and Charles Kwaku-Odoi…
Next Steps Prime Survey
Dr Aunam Quyoum | 9 March, 2023
A survey has been designed, piloted and translated into several community languages and is ready for launch later in March 2023. The survey is expected to hear from 1000 people who identify as a minoritised ethnic individual living in England and Scotland. We are working closely with our community partners to administer the survey and ensure our…
Prime Interviews Completed
Dr Aunam Quyoum | 1 March 2023
The PRIME team has gained detailed insight into the various challenges minioritised ethnic citizens are facing when trying to access digital health, energy and housing services. The task to conduct 100 interviews with individuals across England and Scotland, was made possible by working in collaboration with our community organisation partners. In…
Presentation at REPHRAIN Showcase 2023
PRIME team presentated the PRIME project to delegates from industry, academia, government bodies and regulators. The government and regulator delegates included representatives from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, the National Crime Agency, Ofcom, the National Cyber Security Centre, and the Home Office. The presentation…
Invited Talk at Algorithmic Dwelling Symposium - University of York
Dr Mark Wong | Janauary 2023
Dr Mark Wong was invited to be a speaker at the Algorithmic Dwelling Symposium at the University of York. He increased awareness and understanding of the PRIME project’s aims, particularly in addressing inequalities and harms experienced by Minoritised Ethnic people in digital services, in housing, health, and energy.
Invited Talk at Tower Hamlets GP Care Group CIC
Prof Nazmiye Ozkan | November 2022
Prof Ozkan gave a presentation to Tower Hamlets GP Care Group CIC on 21/11/2022. There were over 10 general practice managers attending the meeting. In my talk, I emphasized what PRIME project was aiming to do, which included advancing understanding the challenges they have been experiencing through increased digitalisation of services. This…
New blog post on limitations of data and AI and what this means for Minoritised Ethnic people
Dr Aunam Quyoum
The PRIME project Research Associate, Dr Aunam Quyoum, has written a blog post discusses how data systems are embedded in existing patterns of social and racial inequality, and can therefore reproduce discriminatory outcomes. The blog post has been cited and shared with more than 150 policymakers and civil servants in talks that Dr. Quyoum and Dr. Mark Wong…
New podcast about harms and bias in AI and data on Minoritised Ethnic people
Dr Mark Wong | May 2022
Dr Mark Wong was interviewed for a podcast series, Spotlight, hosted by the University of Glasgow. I discussed the harms and bias in AI and data on Minoritised Ethnic people, with podcast host, Prof. Graeme Roy (Dean of External Engagement, College of Social Science, University of Glasgow). In the podcast, I also added new understanding to the importance…
Talk at REPHRAIN Policy Salon
Dr Mark Wong and Dr Aunam Quyoum
15 civil servants and representatives of government/public sector organisation attended a talk given by me (Mark Wong) and our project Research Associate, Aunam Quyoum, both at University of Glasgow, about the project. The talk was part of a series of REPHRAIN’s monthly hour-long “Policy Salons” held online, as part of a new initiative…
Invited Talk at Ofcom Internal Seminar Series
Dr Mark Wong and Dr Aunam Quyoum
140 Ofcom civil servants and policymakers attended a talk given by Dr. Mark Wong and Research Associate, Dr. Aunam Quyoum, both at University of Glasgow and part of the PRIME project. The talk was part of the Ofcom internal/academic seminar series. Their presentation introduced how our multi-institutional PRIME project examines online harms…
New EPSRC IAA funding for collaboration with SMARTLEARN STUDIO Ltd
Dr Yingfang Yuan | April 2022
Dr Yingfang Yuan was awarded £6,893 through the EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account to support a short-term collaboration with SMARTLEARN STUDIO Ltd. The funding, provided by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) in the United Kingdom, aimed to support knowledge exchange and accelerate the real-world application of research…
