‘PRTLI Cycle 4’

Higher Education Authority

15 November 2007

PRTLI Cycle 4 – Guiding Principles

•Strategy for Science Technology and Innovation (2006)

•Research Infrastructure in Ireland (2007)

Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation (2006)

National Development Plan (2007-2013)

SSTI Overarching objectives

•Expansion of the higher education research system so as to double the output of PhD graduates by 2013

•Strengthen Government research sector in priority areas, including sustainable food and agriculture, health, marine and natural resources, energy and environmental research

•Promote enterprise R&D, research commercialisation and enterprise-HE links so as to double the number of R&D capable enterprises over the period.

SSTI Key Actions – World Class Research

•Build on recent NDP investments to deliver a sustainable, world class research system across the spectrum of humanities, physical and social sciences;•Deliver quality by increasing the number of research teams led by internationally competitive principal investigators;•Upgrade existing infrastructure and develop new facilities to support research;•Enhance postgraduate skills through a graduate schools mechanism; •Develop sustainable career paths for researchers;•Enhance the mobility of researchers;•Double the number of PhD graduates by 2013.

Research Infrastructure Review - Context

• Completion of first infrastructure and capacity building funding round, 2000-2006

• Announcement of new national Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation (June ’06)

• ESFRI Roadmap exercise – FP7 infrastructures focus (2007-2013)

• Decision: Conduct first Research Infrastructure Review

Conclusions – System level

• Transformation occurring - transition phase

• Balancing required:

– Consolidation……

– Broadening the base…..

– Rapid development required in specific high priority areas

Sample Conclusions: Generic Infrastructure

• Facilities and Space– Patchy landscape

• Equipment– Maintenance, replacement and updating

• Foundation infrastructure– E-infrastructure; generally deficient, high-end computing capability

generally weak– Data management; data archives and repositories – early developmental

stage– Inadequate library provision – HEAnet cited as a strength of the national research infrastructure

• Support infrastructure– Underpinning technical and administrative support inadequate

PRTLI Cycle 4

•Funding capacity and infrastructure development in all areas of research

•Continue to strongly encourage greater focus by institutes on their strengths and on existing, new and emerging potential areas of interest• Continue to drive effective collaboration between higher-education institutions. • Fund the building of the physical research foundation—theexpanded and strengthened physical research infrastructure and key personnel, and ‘core human capacity’.

PRTLI Cycle 4

• Focus on funding the early-stage flow into the researcher “pipeline”, postgraduate students and early stage researchers

• Support the establishment of appropriate supervisory capacity forpostgraduate students. The PRTLI is the key funder of graduateeducation initiatives • Encourage transfer between the conduct of research and enhancement of the education and training curriculum

PRTLI Cycle 4

• Outcome announced early August 2007• Capital Exchequer = €109m• Recurrent Exchequer = €121m• Over three years…..• Status: Resubmission of financial profiles

and adjusted proposals nearing completion.

PRTLI Cycle Four - 2007

• €230 million + €30 million private matching funding

• 788 new work spaces and 474 replacement spaces• Direct funding for 400 Postgrads, Researchers & Support Staff•10 of 16 programmes will create new Graduate Programmes• 71% funding going to collaborative programmes

• Programmes include: Creative Arts & Media, Biophotonics, FoodIreland, Biopharma, Nanoscience, Digital Humanities

• Clinician Scientist Programme• Biopharmaceuticals and Pharmacological Sciences• Cell signalling and imaging• Nanoscience and Nano-scale technologies• Environment and climate change• Creative Arts and Media• Knowledge, Innovation, Society and Space

National Graduate Programmes

Cycle 4;(I) National Programme on Biopharmaceutical and Pharmacological sciences; national collaboration between DCU, TCD, UCC and UCD

(II) IT Tallaght incorporates a no. of partnerships including, DCU, NUIM and the AMNCH.

PRTLI Cycle 4- Nanoteire (National Nanotechnology Initiative) – DIT, DCU, CIT, NUIG, Tyndall and CRANN.

PRTLI Cycle 4 – FoodIreland, UCC, UCD, ULNational facilities for Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Human Dietary Intervention Studies : research into functional foods & omega-3 rich oils

Cycle 4- National e-Infrastructure programme (E-INIS) - a national collaborative programme between DIAS, TCD, NUIG, NUIM and UCC.

• A Digital Humanities Observatory (DHO) will manage and co-ordinate the increasingly complex e-resources created in the arts and humanities. This major infrastructure is part of a wider Humanities Serving Irish Society (HSIS) programme …..

• Facilities for LERO (software engineering centre) UL

• Network Embedded Systems (NEMBES) building and state-of-the-art facilities to be located at CIT

• Serving Society: Management of Future Communications Networks and Services - WIT

Other Highlights

Website: www.hea.ie

Interactive Map: www.hea.ie/PRTLI

Further Information