London is one of the world’s most vibrant and cosmopolitan cities. Famous for its fusion of cultures and its dynamic mix of the historic and modern, London has earned its place as Europe’s leading tech hub. In fact, the city is fast gaining a reputation for being a world leader in data science and AI.
With a flourishing tech industry, key data science conferences and world-class universities, London attracts top data science talent from around the globe. The city offers myriad opportunities for the industry’s newcomers and experts alike.
In this post, we explore what makes London such an important centre for data science. We give you the low-down on the best courses and tech hot spots in the UK’s capital, as well as key dates for upcoming events
As the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, London (what the Romans called Londinium) has been a major settlement for almost 2,000 years. Boasting a population of almost 9 million, London is divided into 32 boroughs, each with its own distinct character and attractions.
The River Thames dissects the heart of the city, and places and people are often tagged as either being north or south of the river. Along its banks, you can find some of the most iconic landmarks in the world, such as the 11th century Tower Bridge, the London Eye, The Tate Modern, The Cutty Sark, and the Houses of Parliament.
Founded by the Romans, the City of London (also known as ‘The Square Mile’ or ‘The City’) is the ancient core and financial centre. The City of Westminster, to the west of the City of London, has hosted the national government and parliament for centuries. London’s other neighbourhoods radiate out from the centre, and in many ways are a series of villages, each with their own identity.
London is also home to some of the world’s most iconic royal landmarks including Buckingham Palace, the official residence of the British monarch. The Tower of London is home to the Crown Jewels, whilst other notable royal landmarks in London include Kensington Palace and St. James’s Palace-the official residence of the Sovereign since the 17th century.
London is also justly famous for its museums and galleries, many of which are free to visit. The British Museum, The V&A, The Science Museum, The National Portrait Gallery, The National Gallery, and The Tate Modern are just a few of the world-class institutions that attract millions of visitors each year. Add this to an amazing array of theatre, nightlife, shopping, sport, and dining opportunities, then you can see why London really is a city that has something for everyone.
Both Data Science degrees and Masters in London are offered by a variety of universities, including the University of London, King’s College London, University College London, and the London School of Economics and Political Science.
The University of London offers a Data Science MSc, PGDip, and PGCert, which provides students with an in- depth understanding of emerging technologies, statistical analysis, and computational techniques.
King’s College London offers a Data Science MSc, which provides students with advanced technical and practical skills in the collection, collation, curation, and analysis of data.
University College London offers a Data Science and Machine Learning MSc. This degree provides students
1. The city has over 300 languages spoken within its borders, making it one of the most linguistically diverse cities in the world.
2. The city boasts over 8 million trees, making it one of the greenest cities in the world.
3. The original London Bridge was dismantled and sold to an American entrepreneur in the 1960s where it was rebuilt.
4. Author J.M Barrie made the brilliant gesture of gifting the rights of Peter Pan to Great Ormond Street Hospital, ensuring that all of the royalties from every related version goes there.
5. The majority of the London Underground actually runs above ground surface level.
6. At the Start of World War 2, London Zoo killed every venomous animal just in case they managed to escape into the city if the zoo was bombed.
7. London has a crying church. St. Bartholomew The Great Church gains its nickname the ‘weeping church’ because when the weather gets cold and wet, the stones of the church become porous.
with introductory machine learning, by becoming familiar with the conceptual landscape of machine learning and developing practical skills to solve real world problems using available software.
The London School of Economics and Political Science offers an MSc Data Science, providing students with training in data science methods, emphasising statistical perspectives.
If you’re a Data Science or technology professional, London is a real player on the world stage. Some of the major sectors and industries using Data Science on a large scale are finance, healthcare, transportation, and retail. Companies and organisations with their HQ or a large presence in the city include the likes of HSBC, JP Morgan, DeepMind, Standard Chartered, BlackRock, Twitter, Apple, Bloomberg, Deliveroo, Barclays, and Spotify.
London also has a number of tech hot-spots too, such as:
Tech City: Located in East London, Tech City is the hub of the city’s technology industry, with numerous startups, co-working spaces, and accelerators. Don’t miss the Silicon Roundabout, which is the nickname for the area around Old Street.
The Alan Turing Institute: Named after the famous mathematician and computer scientist, the Alan Turing Institute is the UK’s national institute for Data Science and artificial intelligence research. Located in the British Library in King’s Cross, it offers workshops, seminars, and talks on data science and AI.
The Science Museum: Located in South Kensington, this is a must-visit for technology enthusiasts. It has a range of exhibitions on science and technology, including the Information Age gallery, which explores the history of communication technology.
The Barbican Centre: This is a world-class arts and learning centre located in the heart of the city. It hosts a range of events, including technology-focused exhibitions and talks.
Imperial College London: One of the world’s leading science and engineering universities. It has a strong focus on technology and Data Science, with research centres and courses dedicated to these areas.
Google Campus: This is a co-working space for startups and entrepreneurs located in Shoreditch. It offers a range of events, talks, and workshops on technology and entrepreneurship.
The British Computer Society: The professional body for the UK’s IT industry, The British Computer Society hosts events and talks on technology and Data Science, and also offers professional development courses in these areas.
A buzzing Data Science city ensures that there are a number of meet-ups for those within the sector – and the UK’s capital city is no different. Some of the main ones in London include:
Data Science London:
This is one of the largest Data Science communities in Europe. This diverse group meets regularly to discuss various Data Science issues, projects and methods. meetup.com/data-science-london
Big Data LDN:
Run by the creators of Big Data LDN, these events boast a series of global industry experts discussing the Data Science issues that affect you and your organisation. bigdataldn.com/meetups
The Data Science Speakers Club: Meeting fortnightly, this Toastmasters International Club hosts a range of Data Scientists, Entrepreneurs, and Innovators that help attendees to develop and refine communication and leadership skills. meetup.com/datasciencespeakers meetup.com/London-Business-AnalyticsGroup
London Business Analytics Group: A community Data and Analytics group that is now almost a decade old. They host regular inperson and online talks and events that are free to attend.
MAY 16-17th
Conversational AI Summit
Discover advances in NLP and how applications can help create digital assistants, chatbots and conversational interfaces to improve customer experience & increase engagement. Topics include: Predictive Intelligence; Natural Language Understanding; Chatbots; Conversation Design; Virtual Agents: Natural Language Processing; MultiChannel Integrations and Scalability; Machine Learning; UX Design; and Generative AI.
JUNE 7-8th
AI World Congress
Held at Kensington Conference and Event Centre, this features keynote and speakers from the likes of Orange, TELUS, Experian, IMF, JP Morgan, TECH UK and many more.
MAY 22-24th
Gartner Data & Analytics Summit
A gathering with a number of leading data and analytics leaders, this three-day summit offers solutions to the most significant challenges that organisations are facing. There will be a wealth of guest keynote speakers, experienced practitioners and Gartner experts in attendance.
JUNE 14-15th
DSC (Open Data Science Conference)
A three-day event and a Data Science community essential, a place to grow your network, build your skills, find about the latest sector tools and advances, and learn from some of the best and brightest minds in Data Science and AI. It’s a comprehensive, one-stop-event that has over 200 hours of content and 140 speakers.
SEPTEMBER 20-21st
Big Data LDN
This free, two-day event is one of the UK’s leading data & analytics conference and exhibitions.You’ll find leading data and analytics experts, who’ll help to give you the tools to deliver an effective data-driven strategy. Host to over 180 leading technology vendors and consultants, there are around 300 expert speakers in 15 technical and businessled conference theatres, it’s a great chance to network, view the latest product launches & demonstrations, and get access to free on-site data consultancy and interactive evening community meet-ups.
