Technology institutes get share of £4m research fund

Two institutes of technology are included among seven third-level institutions to receive a share of a newly established £4 million research fund. Half of the total allocation has been earmarked for graduate and post-doctoral students involved in scientific research.

The Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions fund was announced last May by the Minister of State for Commerce, Science and Technology, Mr Noel Treacy. The support is channelled via the Department of Education and Science and is administered by the Higher Education Authority.

The HEA received funding applications from 23 institutions and research groups here, representing activity worth £15 million - almost four times more than the fund was actually worth.

Successful applicants included Athlone Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology, Carlow, Trinity College, Dublin, University College Cork, University of Limerick, University College Galway and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

The four universities were at or close to the maximum £750,000 funding limit set by the HEA. Surprise exclusions included large universities such as University College Dublin but also the larger institutes of technology in Cork and Waterford.

The HEA chairman, Dr Don Thornhill, emphatically rejected suggestions the failure of the majority of applicants to win funding was a reflection on the quality of their scientific work. It "didn't mean an institution is doing bad science - quite the opposite", he said.

The programme required the preparation of submissions by each institution. These detailed its strategic view of its scientific endeavours, outlined the nature of its research work and included how these would contribute to teaching in the institution. Scientific and technological quality was a necessary element but was not the only requirement, Dr Thornhill said. "Each institution had to get a pass mark in all three."

Half the money, he said, was allocated to activities involving young Irish researchers. There was "heavy funding of people" in the scheme.

He also highlighted the fact that smaller institutions had been successful in receiving support. "There are two, if not three, small institutions on that list" and this should keep others interested if the Government gives the go-ahead for the scheme next year.

The selection was made by a panel which included research academics from other European countries. "The panel gave detailed comments on every one of the 23 applications and we are giving a one-to-one feedback to each," Dr Thornhill said. "I hope this approach will be followed next year. We expect a huge leap in the level of competition."

Successful applicants must now negotiate with the HEA, putting together a "programme budget" and a "financial plan", Dr Thornhill said. This was expected to take about six weeks. "We will be doing a formal audit on the programmes at regular intervals. This will include a scientific audit."

Mr Treacy set up a consultative committee some weeks ago to make decisions on how research funding would be delivered.