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31 January 2005

NORTHERN IRELAND UNIVERSITIES TO BENEFIT FROM £24 MILLION RESEARCH INVESTMENT

Barry Gardiner MP, Minister with responsibility for Employment and Learning, today announced details of round three of the Science Research Investment Fund (SRIF 3). SRIF 3 will boost the research infrastructure of the Northern Ireland universities through an investment of £24 million between 2006 and 2008.

"University-based science research is key to our economic future in Northern Ireland," said the Minister. "I am determined that, as we encourage more children to take up the challenge of university life, we in Government must equally face up to our challenge of addressing past under-investment in the physical research infrastructure. SRIF 3 takes us one step further along that route."

SRIF 3 is a joint initiative funded by the Office of Science and Technology and the Department for Employment and Learning. The programme will enable recipient universities to renew physical facilities including buildings and equipment. The allocation to Northern Ireland compares favourably to the previous round, where £19million was available.

"The increase over the Northern Ireland SRIF 2 allocation is a direct consequence of the higher levels of research funding distributed by the Department for Employment and Learning," said the Minister. "This announcement further cements the position of Northern Ireland as an attractive base for researchers and one where research funders can come and do business."

The investment comes at a time of change for the higher education research community, with a new costing regime being implemented to ensure that research is conducted on a sustainable footing in the future.

Barry Gardiner concluded: "Not only will SRIF 3 regenerate and renew the facilities available to researchers in Northern Ireland, it will also enable our universities to invest in a sustainable future. This is indeed a very good day for higher education research in Northern Ireland."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  1. £23,563,716 is available through SRIF 3 for investment in buildings and research equipment. £15,163,716 is provided by the Office of Science and Technology (part of the Department for Trade and Industry) and £8,400,000 by the Department for Employment and Learning. Recipient institutions are also required to invest a minimum of 10% of the total cost of each project.

  2. Queen’s University has been allocated £15,620,715 and University of Ulster £7,943,001.

  3. A total of eighteen projects have been supported so far through previous rounds of SRIF.

  4. Media enquiries to the Department for Employment and Learning Press Office on 028 9025 7790.

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