19 June 2000

£40 MILLION "SPUR" FOR UNIVERSITY RESEARCH

Northern Ireland's two universities are set to benefit from a massive £40 million investment in their research infrastructure, following an announcement this morning by the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment,

Dr Sean Farren.

Speaking during a Ministerial Statement to the Assembly, Dr Farren announced details of the Support Programme for University Research (SPUR).

He said: "SPUR is a public-private partnership programme, which will invest up to £40m in the research infrastructure at Queen's University and the University of Ulster over the next four years. The funding will be provided on a matching £ for £ basis with the Government providing up to £20m and the universities raising the rest from private sources.

"The aims of SPUR are to:

• enhance the strategic approach of the universities to the development of their research capacity; and
• strengthen their research base and, in particular, to increase the amount of research of the highest international quality."

Dr Farren explained that the investment will be made on a competitive basis under the auspices of the Northern Ireland Higher Education Council (NIHEC) assisted by an international panel of experts, which is currently being drawn together and which will be chaired, in a non-voting capacity, by Sir Kenneth Bloomfield, Chairman of NIHEC.

He continued: "The universities will be asked to submit their institutional strategic plans for research and their proposals by the autumn of this year and decisions will be made on funding by November. The Vice-Chancellors will be asked to confirm that they have raised the private matched funding for their successful proposals before public money is released.

"The intention is that the additional investment will enable the universities to fund the highest priorities within their strategic plans, which are judged by the Panel to be of, or to be capable of, attaining an international level of quality.

"This may include expenditure on appropriate buildings and equipment or on research teams or other facilities. In addition, I believe that this investment will contribute significantly to research of a social and cultural nature.

"Our research base is vital to our economic prospects and today's announcement is a real step forward towards a better future for everyone in Northern Ireland. It will help our universities, which are already renowned for the quality of their research, develop even further and turn economic potential into reality," added the Minister.

The Vice-Chancellors from both Queen's and University of Ulster were in the Assembly Chamber to hear the announcement.

Professor George Bain, Vice-Chancellor of Queen's, said: "I warmly welcome this news. The Minister's statement recognises that universities, as producers of knowledge, are a major force in economic development. The economic survival of Northern Ireland in a competitive world depends upon increased investment in high-quality fundamental and strategic research and development which will underpin innovation.

"Queen's has already been the driving force behind a number of major economic initiatives aimed to underpin the new knowledge-based economy, and our research has contributed significantly to wealth and job creation. Our investment company, QUBIS Ltd, has formed 25 spin-off companies to date. These businesses currently employ some 450 people and have a turnover of more than £22 million per annum.

"This initiative will allow us to build on that success. I have no doubt that we will attract matching funding to enable us to exploit our research strengths across a broad scientific and technological base and to make a major contribution to Northern Ireland's economic growth."

Professor Gerry McKenna, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ulster, also warmly welcomed the news. He said: "The University of Ulster will be investing its share of the funding in areas of strategic research of crucial importance to wealth creation, increased economic competitiveness and social inclusion in Northern Ireland. The funding acknowledges the Minister's gratifying acceptance of the urgency of the situation.

"I am fully confident that, on the basis of our track record, we will be able to attract private funding on a pound for pound basis to match government's faith in the quality of our work. Under-investment in University research and a public sector dependency culture have undermined the Northern Ireland economy's ability to sustain development at the rate of our competitors.

"The University of Ulster already has some world-class research in progress, a classification awarded to us by independent assessment. Our aim now is to raise other areas of our work to international levels of excellence. That is the only way for Northern Ireland to be viable in the competitive post-industrial knowledge economy."

Sir Kenneth Bloomfield, Chairman of NIHEC, described the announcement by the Minister as "hugely significant and heartening".

He expressed confidence that the proposals submitted for assessment would "bring out the best in the two universities" and added "for our brighter future, nothing but the best will do."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

NIHEC

The Northern Ireland Higher Education Council (NIHEC) is a non-executive advisory body established by the Minister responsible for education in Northern Ireland in April 1993 to advise the then Department of Education for Northern Ireland (DENI), and more broadly Government, on the planning and funding of higher education.

The members of NIHEC come from Academia, the Higher Education Sector, the world of Industry and Commerce, the local Community, the Public Sector and the Research Community.

The Assessment Panel

The composition of the Assessment Panel will be as follows:-

International Members

• Three individuals of high standing in the international research and development communities in respect of science and technology.
• Two individuals of similar high standing in the international research and development communities in respect of the arts, humanities and social services.

Local Members

• The Chairman and 2 other local non-voting members.

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