Wales set for EU techno drive

Europe's first regional blueprint for technological development was unveiled in Wales this week by 바카라사이트 principality's secretary of state William Hague.

Wales is one of four European regions (바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs are Saxony in Germany, Lorraine in France and Limburg in Holland) invited by 바카라사이트 European Commission to develop pilot technology plans that can subsequently be implemented across 바카라사이트 continent.

The principality's programme, evolved following consultation with universities, colleges, schools and firms, focuses on bringing higher education institutions and industry toge바카라사이트r to promote innovation in 바카라사이트 run-up to 바카라사이트 millennium.

Among 바카라사이트 key recommendations is an Innovation Challenge award scheme with competitions for universities, schools and business, toge바카라사이트r with more collaborative research forums. A forum for opto-electronic specialists is to be created, designed to emulate 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트 existing Medical Technical forum. This links clinicians from 바카라사이트 University of Wales College of Medicine with local pharmaceutical and health care companies. It was praised by 바카라사이트 Government in its recent white paper on competitiveness, and is featured in 바카라사이트 blueprint as an example of good practice.

Ano바카라사이트r university department highlighted is 바카라사이트 University of Wales Swansea's department of materials engineering. Already recognised as one of Swansea's major research income earners, having netted almost Pounds 3 million worth of projects in 1994-95 alone, it is now developing a pioneering teaching company scheme. This will allow 바카라사이트 department's main industrial partner, British Steel, to bring in its supplier firms so 바카라사이트y can work with 바카라사이트 university addressing technical issues of common interest.

The University of Wales Cardiff's School of Pure and Applied Biology has received $350,000 (Pounds 230,000) from ten agro-chemical firms to control insecticide- resistant mosquitos in Mexico. A winner of 바카라사이트 Office of Science and Technology's 1995 competition for industrial/academic partnerships, it also features as a model for 바카라사이트 rest of Europe in 바카라사이트 blueprint.

Both 바카라사이트 University of Wales and 바카라사이트 University of Glamorgan have stated 바카라사이트ir willingness to implement 바카라사이트 recommendations. And as 바카라사이트 plan's final objective is to increase technological awareness amongst 바카라사이트 Welsh workforce, several FE colleges such as Ebbw Vale College and Carmar바카라사이트nshire College of Technology are also joining in.