ACE Network Community Consultations

As the ACE Network enters the final months of its current funding period, which runs until the end of 2026, we are launching two community consultations to help shape the future of the UK automation and control engineering community.

These consultations will inform both the future direction of the network and our ongoing efforts to support a more inclusive and connected community. We encourage participation from academics, researchers, students, industrial practitioners, and community partners across all career stages.

Consultation 1: Help Shape the ACE Network+

The ACE Network team is preparing a proposal to EPSRC to expand and broaden the current ACE Network into a national Network+ for automation and control engineering.

Building on the current momentum of the ACE Network, the proposed Network+ aims to shift from community-building to delivery, creating a coordinated platform for research collaboration, skills development, industrial engagement, strategic activities, and national connectivity across the UK automation and control landscape.

Before submitting the full proposal, we are inviting the community and prospective partners to help shape:

mission priorities,
key activities and themes,
community needs and opportunities,
partnership and engagement models,
and future directions for the UK control and automation community.

The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Consultation 2: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Follow-Up Survey

Approximately 18 months ago, the ACE Network conducted a community survey on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) across the UK Automatic Control Engineering community. We are now repeating this as a short follow-up survey to better understand what has changed since then and where further work may still be needed.

Your feedback will help us:

identify areas of progress,
understand ongoing challenges and gaps,
recognise emerging issues,
and guide future community actions and recommendations.

The survey is anonymous and confidential. We also encourage members to share it with colleagues and students across the wider community.