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Aston University and Index.dev join forces to make hiring technology professionals quicker and easier
Aston Business School experts will work with Index.dev to develop a smarter talent-matching platform for companies and jobseekers
New AI-powered tools will help employers find the right software engineers more quickly and accurately
UK-based Index.dev connects businesses with skilled technology professionals from Latin America, Eastern Europe and beyond.
A new partnership between Aston University and UK-based global recruitment firm Index.dev will use the latest artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to improve how companies find and hire software engineers.
The two-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), funded by Innovate UK, will combine Index.dev’s experience in connecting businesses with skilled technology professionals from around the world with Aston Business School’s research expertise in AI and business development.
Index.dev already helps companies in the UK, US and Europe hire software engineers from a network of more than 20,000 vetted professionals, mainly based in Latin America and Eastern Europe. The new project will see Aston Business School’s academic experts work with Index.dev to develop smarter search and matching tools for its online recruitment platform, making the process faster, more accurate and more user-friendly.
These advanced tools will make it easier for employers to find the right people for specialist roles. While traditional methods may be based on simple but limited techniques such as keyword matching (for example, a particular computer programming language that an employer is seeking and a candidate is proficient in), the Aston-developed algorithms will be able to look at the full context of a jobseeker’s CV and experience, finding candidates that may otherwise slip through the net. They will also make sure the AI system is transparent to comply with emerging global standards.
The project will explore ways to turn Index.dev into a more interactive, community-driven platform, using Aston University researchers’ expertise in business development and behavioural psychology. By introducing new and better ways for employers and candidates to connect online, the aim is to make the system more useful for both sides and to create a platform where users help attract other users (a phenomenon known in this field as a ‘network effect’). The researchers will also help Index.dev improve and reduce the cost of important technical features such as its global payment systems.
Professor Joshua Ignatius, professor of business analytics at Aston Business School and academic lead for the project, said:
“This project is about building something scalable and future-ready. We’re bringing together data science, behavioural research and strategies to improve their platform that will help Index.dev rethink how the company operates and what it offers to both its users and its clients. It’s a chance to put fundamental academic research into real-world action and support a company with enormous potential for growth.
“It’s a pleasure to work on a project with both academic depth and commercial urgency. This is exactly the kind of partnership KTPs were designed for – and we’re excited to help Index.dev achieve their business goals.”
The partnership is supported by Andrei Stan, the project’s KTP associate and Index.dev’s director of strategy. Andrei, who is also a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) researcher at Aston Business School, said:
“The KTP has been a fantastic way to bring external expertise into our business at a critical time. We’re experimenting, learning and improving constantly – and everything we’re doing is helping us shape a platform with real global potential. It has also validated our belief that this model can work and scale.”
KTPs, funded by Innovate UK, are collaborations between a business, a university and a highly qualified research associate. The UK-wide programme helps businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills. Aston University is a sector-leading KTP provider, ranked first for project quality, and joint first for the volume of active projects.
For more information on Aston University’s KTPs, visit https://www.aston.ac.uk/business/collaborate-with-us/knowledge-transfer-partnership/at-work.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
About Aston University
For over 130 years, Aston University has been making our world a better place through education, research and innovation. Our history is intertwined with the remarkable city of Birmingham, once the heartland of the Industrial Revolution and now the thriving base for an innovation ecosystem of global significance, which Aston is co-creating.
Our vision is to be a leading university for science, technology and enterprise, measured by the positive transformational impact we achieve for our people, students, businesses and the communities we serve.
Aston focuses on high-quality, exploitable research that has an impact on society through medical breakthroughs, advancements in engineering, policy and practice in government, and the strategies and performance of business.
The university offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes, as well as continuing professional development solutions.
Thanks to its focus on delivering excellent outcomes for students, Aston University's reputation continues to grow. It was recognised as the Daily Mail University of the Year for Student Success 2025, is second in England for social mobility (2023 HEPI Social Mobility Index), and is top 20 for graduate salaries (2024 Longitudinal Education Outcomes).
Aston University is now defining its place in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (and beyond) within a rapidly changing world.
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