11th December 2002

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Professor Gerry McKenna, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ulster, publicly welcomed the decision by government to award additional funding to university research in Northern Ireland. It has been announced that an additional £10 million will be awarded for each of the next three years. This follows a public campaign in which senior figures from industry and commerce, leaders of professional and public life and senior politicians from every party wrote to government in support of local universities and their call for a level of funding equal to other regions in the United Kingdom.

Professor McKenna said:
“This is exciting news and will allow us to invest in new blood for our research programme, attracting some of the best minds from throughout the world to join our existing research teams that already have world class strengths. I am particularly pleased that the funding is for three years as this will take away the uncertainty that hinders high quality ground-breaking research. We will also be able to identify new areas of investigation that will allow the University to contribute in a positive and direct way to the regeneration of this region”.

He paid warm tribute to the many business and political leaders who had actively supported the case for additional funding. “We are deeply grateful for the faith shown in our local universities by so many influential people in all walks of life”, he said. “It has been deeply gratifying to have their active support”.

Public funding is also used as leverage to attract other sources of research income. During the years 2000-2001 and 2001-2002, the University of Ulster generated £2.4 million in external income for every £1 million of recurrent research funding.

The Vice-Chancellor emphasised that funding for university research was not at the expense of other areas of public expenditure. “University research in Northern Ireland is already developing a stronger and more competitive knowledge economy and creating new and meaningful jobs”, he said. “By helping to identify the causes of disease and improve aspects of patient care, university research is reducing pressure on health service spending. By identifying sustainable energy policies and transport strategies, it is making the public pound go further. These are only one or two from hundreds of examples of why this is a gilt-edged investment for Northern Ireland. Government must be applauded for their faith in us and it is now up to the universities to do what they are good at”.

For further information, please contact:

Press Office Department of Communication and Development
Telephone: 028 9036 6178
Email: pressoffice@ulster.ac.uk