Centres of Excellence (Invest NI)

Introduction
Designed to locate within the PEACE II Programme and its strategic aim “to reinforce progress towards a peaceful and stable society and to promote reconciliation”, the basic objective of Invest Northern Ireland’s RTD Centres of Excellence Programme is to support major proposals for the establishment of R&D centres that will enhance the market-driven technological capability within Northern Ireland industry and the universities. The programme should further stimulate the restructuring of the economy and, in particular, grasp the opportunities offered by new technologies. This, in turn, will develop the ability to carry out leading edge, industrially exploitable and, above all, commercially focused research which will demonstrably improve the competitiveness of Northern Ireland.

Within the defining context of a market-driven and commercially focused framework, the Programme consists of four complementary areas of activity:

1. Research and Development Facilities
   • the creation of new R&D centres within industry and the universities; and
   • the future enhancement of existing research centres which can demonstrate significant and proven commercial focus in their present activities and which propose to globalise their work and expertise and undertake additional but complementary projects.
   
   
2. Best Practice Technology Demonstrators and Showcases
   Aims to support the creation of a number of demonstration and showcase projects within industry and/or the universities which will provide industry, particularly SMEs, with a showcase to view and gain valuable expertise in the most recent environmental and technological developments and grasp the potential of cross-sectoral technology transfer.
   
   
3. High Technology Incubators
   Aims to support the creation and/or development of the necessary infrastructure and environment which will accelerate the transfer of knowledge-based research, industrial and academic, to commercial viability.
   
   
4. Collaboration
   Aims to promote collaboration between industry and internationally recognised research Centres of Excellence in Northern Ireland and similar research Centres of Excellence elsewhere for the purposes of research and technological development and technology transfer, with particular emphasis on their participation in the European Framework Programme. Collaborative industrially relavant proposals involving research Centres of Excellence in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland would be particularly welcomed for consideration.

Eligible Costs
Support under the Programme will be provided under the broad headings of:

• New and existing staff;
• Overheads at up to 80% of eligible staff costs for all projects;
• Capital equipment;
• Building refurbishment;
• Eligible consumables;
• Travel and subsistence;
• Promotion, publicity and dissemination

Level of Funding 
As a general rule, the following levels of grant will apply towards approved eligible costs:

• Industry costs at up to 35% funding;
• University costs at up to 50% funding.

Duration of project
As a general rule, projects must not take less than 24 months nor more than 36 months.

Relevant links
Programme website

COMPERA-Contact:
Pat Doyle (+44 28 90 69 88 35)