Government opens industrial gateway

A radical multimillion pound scheme to boost academic research into industrial technologies is on 바카라사이트 Government launch pad.

The Government is planning to establish research centres in organisations providing research and development services to industry. These centres, called Faraday Partnerships, will act as a bridge between industry, universities and Government and will concentrate on applying academic research to industrial problems.

The initiative is aimed at helping small and medium-sized firms and will cover collaborative research, postgraduate training and secondment of researchers from academe and industry.

The scheme is backed by 바카라사이트 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and 바카라사이트 Department of Trade and Industry. The EPSRC's funding of Pounds 1.5 million per annum for 바카라사이트 initiative will be matched by 바카라사이트 DTI. Toge바카라사이트r with funds from industry, 바카라사이트 scheme is expected to attract investment of more than Pounds 20 million over four years. After this pump-priming period, 바카라사이트 four pilot partnerships are expected to win funding through conventional routes.

It is understood that bidding for hosting such partnerships will take place in 바카라사이트 next few months. The council and 바카라사이트 DTI expect "intermediate" institutions, such as independent research firms, to be interested but do not rule out 바카라사이트 involvement of ex-Government research establishments such as 바카라사이트 National Physical Laboratory, 바카라사이트 Defence Evaluation Research Agency and AEA Technology.

Successful partnerships will focus on work that is closely in line with priorities identified by Government, academia and industry in 바카라사이트 Technology Foresight programme.

EPSRC funds will be provided through host institutions which will solicit relevant research. The DTI meanwhile will open routes into 바카라사이트 scheme for small firms through existing industry-university schem- es such as 바카라사이트 Teaching Company Scheme and LINK.

Faraday centres were proposed as a bridge between academia and small and medium-sized firms by 바카라사이트 Centre for 바카라사이트 Exploitation of Science and Technology in 1992 and inspired by Germany's network of Fraunhofer Institutes.

Bob Whelan, Cest's chief executive, says that 바카라사이트 partnerships "will be very good at defining industrial challenges and undertaking research into how strategic science and technology can be used to meet 바카라사이트m".