Aston University and Index.dev Partner to Streamline Recruitment of Technology Professionals
Birmingham, UK – In an effort to make hiring technology professionals a more efficient process for companies, Aston University and Index.dev have joined forces. Aston Business School experts will collaborate with Index.dev to develop a smarter talent-matching platform for both businesses and jobseekers.
The partnership, funded by Innovate UK, will incorporate the latest artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to improve the recruitment process for software engineers. Index.dev, a global recruitment firm based in the UK, specializes in connecting businesses with skilled technology professionals from regions such as Latin America and Eastern Europe.
The two-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) will combine Index.dev’s expertise in global recruitment with Aston Business School’s research proficiency in AI and business development. Currently, Index.dev works with over 20,000 vetted professionals to help companies in the UK, US, and Europe find top software engineering talent. With this new project, Aston Business School’s academic experts will collaborate with Index.dev to develop advanced search and matching tools for their online recruitment platform, making the process faster, more accurate, and more user-friendly.
The goal of these tools is to assist employers in finding the most suitable candidates for specialized roles. Traditional recruitment methods often rely on simplistic techniques, such as keyword matching, which can overlook potential candidates. However, the algorithms developed by Aston University will consider the full context of a jobseeker’s CV and experience, ensuring a more comprehensive search. Additionally, these AI systems will adhere to global standards and maintain transparency.
The partnership will also explore ways to transform Index.dev into a more interactive, community-driven platform. With the help of Aston University’s researchers, the company aims to enhance the platform’s usability for both employers and jobseekers, as well as create a network effect where users attract other users. The researchers will also assist Index.dev in improving and reducing the cost of essential technical features, such as their global payment systems.
Professor Joshua Ignatius, professor of business analytics at Aston Business School and academic lead for the project, stated, “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.”
Andrei Stan, the KTP associate and Index.dev’s director of strategy, added, “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.”
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, funded by Innovate UK, are collaborations between a business, a university, and a highly qualified research associate. These partnerships assist businesses in improving their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology, and skills. Aston University is a leading KTP provider, ranking first for project quality and joint first for the volume of active projects.
For more information on Aston University’s KTPs, please visit https://www.aston.ac.uk/business/collaborate-with-us/knowledge-transfer-partnership/at-work.
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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 university’s history is closely linked with the remarkable city of Birmingham, once the heartland of the Industrial Revolution, and now a 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 a profound 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 recognized as the Daily Mail University of the Year for Student Success in 2025. Additionally, it is second in England for social mobility (2023 HEPI Social Mobility Index) and is ranked in the 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.
