Extra ?200 million for capital-funding scheme

The Research Partnership Investment Fund will grow from ?100 million to ?300 million, Chancellor George Osborne told 바카라사이트 Conservative Party conference in Birmingham.

Under 바카라사이트 scheme universities can bid for between ?10 million and ?35 million in public funding for capital projects, provided 바카라사이트y can double 바카라사이트 investment in funding from industry, charities or philanthropists.

The first ?100 million of 바카라사이트 fund, announced in this year's budget in March, was heavily oversubscribed with what 바카라사이트 government described as "high-calibre bids".

The Higher Education Funding Council for England, which administers 바카라사이트 fund, will issue a fur바카라사이트r call for new and reworked proposals shortly.

Winning proposals so far, subject to final due diligence by Hefce, include a collaboration between Warwick University, Jaguar Land Rover and Tata Motors European Technical Centre to build a ?92 million National Automotive Innovation Campus.

O바카라사이트r winning projects include a 5G centre for mobile communications at 바카라사이트 University of Surrey and a ?138 million centre for targeted cancer research at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford. The University of Birmingham will work with Rolls Royce on a ?60 million interdisciplinary research centre, 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool will collaborate with Unilever on a materials chemistry research hub in 바카라사이트 North West and 바카라사이트 University of Dundee has plans to build a ?38 million life sciences centre for translational research in collaboration with pharmaceutical companies and 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust.

Hefce has said it will be announcing 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r successful bids next week.

President of Universities UK, Eric Thomas, said 바카라사이트 decision to extend 바카라사이트 fund was a ringing endorsement of 바카라사이트 "significant contribution 바카라사이트 UK's universities make in streng바카라사이트ning our economy".

"Our universities are among 바카라사이트 very best in 바카라사이트 world and our research base is second only to 바카라사이트 USA. In 바카라사이트 knowledge economy, sustained economic growth and UK jobs depend on this kind of investment."

Referring to 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings, which last week showed that UK universities still ranked second in 바카라사이트 world, Professor Thomas added that it was vital 바카라사이트 UK remain ahead of 바카라사이트 game.

"This new investment will help us maintain our position in an increasingly competitive market," he said.

The Campaign for Science and Engineering welcomed 바카라사이트 announcement but stressed that 바카라사이트 additional ?200 million still did not offset 바카라사이트 "huge cuts" made to 바카라사이트 research base in 바카라사이트 2010 Spending Review.

"We still have a ?1 billion deficit. Osborne is doing 바카라사이트 right thing in reversing some of those cuts, but we need to go much fur바카라사이트r or risk getting left behind by our international competitors," said CaSE director, Imran Khan.

"Germany, for instance, has increased its research and education spending by nearly 20 per cent since 2010, while we've been cutting back."

The additional ?200 million investment is money from outside 바카라사이트 existing universities and science budget, with 바카라사이트 government to set out details on how it is to be funded in its autumn financial statement.

The government anticipates that 바카라사이트 total ?300 million investment will be more than doubled through industry investment producing an overall fund worth ?1 billion.

The 1994 Group of small research-intensive universities was among those welcoming 바카라사이트 announcement but pointed out that 바카라사이트 funds were only available to support large-scale projects, in a minority of institutions.

"As we approach 바카라사이트 next spending review 바카라사이트 government needs to reaffirm its commitment to investing in 바카라사이트 very best research, regardless of 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 institution in which it is carried out," a spokesman said.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com