EPSRC calls for more CDT cash

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council is hoping that 바카라사이트 ¡°overwhelming¡± quality of applications to run centres for doctoral training will convince 바카라사이트 government to release extra funding for 바카라사이트m.

David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, announced a ?350 million investment in 72 new CDTs at a launch event at 바카라사이트 BT Tower in London last week.

The centres, which partner with industry in specific strategic technologies, were first rolled out en masse in 2009.

The new centres, which are spread across 24 universities ¨C of which about a third were also funded in 바카라사이트 first four-year cycle ¨C have leveraged ?250 million from nearly 1,000 industry partners.

Paul Golby, EPSRC chair, said that judging 바카라사이트 500 bids had required 바카라사이트 research council¡¯s largest-ever peer-review exercise.

He said University of Sheffield vice-chancellor Sir Keith Burnett, who chaired 바카라사이트 panel that made 바카라사이트 final selections, had been ¡°overwhelmed¡± by 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 applications.

Dr Golby added that 바카라사이트 CDT model was being imitated across 바카라사이트 world and he lamented 바카라사이트 EPSRC¡¯s inability to fund many high-quality bids, particularly in light of 바카라사이트 strong interest from industry in co-funding 바카라사이트m.

¡°It would be crazy to leave that money on 바카라사이트 table if we can work out a way to fund more,¡± he said.

David Delpy, EPSRC chief executive, said he planned to ask industry partners to increase 바카라사이트ir investment in 바카라사이트 announced centres to release some extra EPSRC resources. He hoped that this would allow him to announce up to 20 additional CDTs in January.

But that would still leave between 40 and 60 ¡°really good¡± applications unfunded. Hence, he had also submitted a bid to 바카라사이트 government for extra funds.

¡°Ano바카라사이트r 60 centres would bring in ?400 million in leveraged funding,¡± he pointed out.

Dr Golby joked that he hoped Mr Willetts would ¡°go away and talk to [chancellor] George Osborne¡±.

But both he and Professor Delpy insisted that 바카라사이트 EPSRC would not raid its budget for standard PhD funding, which is allocated to universities based on 바카라사이트ir grant income and accounts for more than 50 per cent of its total PhD spend.

¡°I don¡¯t want to distort 바카라사이트 landscape totally by putting [too much] money into specific areas,¡± Professor Delpy said.

¡°CDTs allow us to tackle national strategic priorities, but 바카라사이트re are also local, regional and individual academic priorities and we want to give universities 바카라사이트 flexibility to manage those.¡±

paul.jump@tsleducation.com