The Oxford-Man Institute (OMI), the collaboration of Man AHL and Oxford University will open a learning centre for research into quantitative finance.

The OMI is planning to broaden its focus on machine learning and data analytics and will become part of Oxford’s Department of Engineering Science in August.

The University of Oxford and Sydney-based Man Group established the OMI in 2007 to be an interdisciplinary academic institute for quantitative finance research.

The development of the machine learning centre will create a hub for data analysis and machine learning at Man AHL’s Oxford research lab base.

Researchers from the OMI will be joined by the Department of Engineering Science’s Machine Learning Group, a body of around 20 leading machine learning researchers and will relocate to OMI’s research lab, Eagle House.

Man AHL chief scientist, Dr Anthony Ledford, said a collaborative research environment focused on machine learning techniques will be fostered in order for machine learning and data analytics expertise to be shared.

“Man AHL has been actively researching machine learning techniques and applying them in client trading programmes for several years,” he said.

“Our partnership with the OMI directly connects us with cutting-edge quantitative finance research and the opportunity to collaborate with world-leading academics in the field.”