"As a charity we welcome collaboration and partnerships, and this was a brilliant opportunity to work with some of the best minds in maths, science and data" - Alex McKenna, The Donkey Sanctuary.

The Donkey Sanctuary hosts European study group.

The Donkey Sanctuary has welcomed some of Europe’s leading scientists and mathematicians to its headquarters to help tackle major donkey welfare challenges.

Forming part of the University of Exeter’s 195th UK European Study Group with Industry (ESGI), the group explored new approaches to strengthen the charity’s Donkey Risk Index (DRI).

The DRI is a tool that identifies where donkeys are most at risk and where support can have the greatest impact, particularly in regions with limited reliable data. During the meeting, the group tested assumptions behind the DRI, evaluated additional risk measures and investigated new ways of predicting how welfare risks may change over time and across different regions.

Alex McKenna, data analytics manager at The Donkey Sanctuary, said: “As a charity we welcome collaboration and partnerships, and this was a brilliant opportunity to work with some of the best minds in maths, science and data to find new and improved ways of helping donkeys wherever they are in the world.”

Dr Stefan Siegert, from the University of Exeter, said: "When people think of mathematics, donkeys aren't usually the first thing that springs to mind - but that's what makes the ESGI Study Group conference so much fun.
 
"Our team was excited to get stuck into further development of the charity’s Donkey Risk Index, applying the same kind of modelling used in public health and environmental science to a completely different (and very lovable) subject.

"It's the sort of quirky, real-world problem that mathematicians thrive on."

Image (C) The Donkey Sanctuary.