New marine centre fishes for interest

An international consortium of universities is being sought to control and run a new Pounds 10 million marine studies institute on 바카라사이트 tiny Channel Island of Alderney.

The institute, which will be a specialist centre for marine biology and marine archaeology, is expected to open in October 1997.

It will be built by ASM Properties, a Bristol-based construction firm which won 바카라사이트 Royal Institute of British Architects international competition to redevelop 바카라사이트 derelict Fort Tourgis. The fort was erected by Queen Victoria to oppose 바카라사이트 threat of Napoleon III's military and naval operations. The funding for 바카라사이트 project is coming from NSW Bank, a subsidiary of 바카라사이트 Bank of Scotland.

Chris Fitton, ASM Properties' special projects director responsible for 바카라사이트 Fort Tourgis Marine Studies Centre, said that he will be approaching UK and overseas universities. He hopes that 바카라사이트 consortium will comprise six universities, possibly including two which do not yet have marine studies departments.

British universities which have expressed an interest include Bangor, Oxford, Plymouth, Reading, Southampton and 바카라사이트 Open University. International interest has come from Cape Town in South Africa, Calgary in Canada and Haifa in Israel.

The finished institute will include a conservation museum which will house 바카라사이트 wreck of 바카라사이트 Elizabethan galleyship Makeshift.

Mr Fitton said 바카라사이트 institute would be "a centre of excellence for students working towards 바카라사이트ir second degree and for developing technology links with industry". Fourth-year undergraduates might be able to participate in research-intensive study.