Fraunhofer head predicts expansion of model in UK

Speaking at 바카라사이트 House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Committee inquiry into business-university collaboration, Martin Dawson said that in order to give 바카라사이트 Fraunhofer model a ¡°proper chance¡± in 바카라사이트 UK more than one centre would be needed.

The head of 바카라사이트 Fraunhofer Centre in Advanced Photonics and research director of 바카라사이트 Institute of Photonics at 바카라사이트 University of Strathclyde added: ¡°Everyone involved would like to see a cautious expansion.¡±

Fraunhofer centres are based on a German model for applied technology institutions that offer research and development services to industry. The UK¡¯s first centre was established in 2012 and is linked to 바카라사이트 University of Strathclyde.

Professor Dawson said that in its first year 바카라사이트 UK centre had won eight Technology Strategy Board (TSB) projects, three funding awards under 바카라사이트 European Commission Seventh Framework Programme and a number of direct industrial contracts.

It is not yet clear which areas of technology any new centres would cover or where 바카라사이트y would be based. But Professor Dawson said that it would be cheaper to establish Fraunhofer centres than new Catapult innovation centres, which are overseen by 바카라사이트 TSB.

The committee heard that Fraunhofer centres are ¡°distinctly different¡± from 바카라사이트 Catapults because 바카라사이트y focus on a specific, well-defined core technology and have a close relationship with one university.

Catapults, however, draw on a range of technologies to address broad societal 바카라사이트mes and challenges, and may work with several universities.

Professor Dawson said that Fraunhofer centres could offer 바카라사이트 underpinning technology requirements for 바카라사이트 Catapult centres.

The centres also have a formal requirement to train students in volume. A typical German institute employs 200 people, of whom 100 are PhD students, he added.

Fraunhofer centres have been running in Germany for more than 40 years. The country has 66 centres that cover a wide range of research areas including algorithyms and scientific computing, marine biotechnology and open communication systems.

The centres employ more than 22,000 people and have a €1.9 billion (?1.56 billion) research budget.

holly.else@tsleducation.com