07 Jan 2000
Scottish Secretary John Reid and Scottish Government Lifelong Learning Minister Henry McLeish today (Monday 10 January) welcomed the news that seven Scottish universities are to receive £8.4 million worth of funding for research equipment. The awards have been made under the 1999 round of the Joint Research Equipment Initiative (JREI).
Funding for JREI 1999 in Scotland comes from a number of sources: £1.9 million from the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC); £1.6 million from the Office of Science and Technology (OST) and the Research Councils; and a further £4.9 million from external sponsors, such as industry and charities.
John Reid said:
"This Government is determined to give universities the resources that will enable them to provide students with teaching and research facilities of the highest standard. I am delighted to see this initiative which is supported by both public and private sectors working in partnership. Scottish universities are internationally renowned for the research carried out here. This money will help seven Scottish universities take forward high-quality projects which will improve their standing even further.
"The provision of this research equipment is an excellent example of what can be achieved when the UK Government, the Scottish Government, public sector and private sector bodies work together."
Henry McLeish said:
"This significant investment in modern research equipment - funded jointly by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, the UK Research Council and the private sector - will help maintain the excellence of our science base. The development of science in Scotland is crucial to our economic future, and to promoting technology and innovation in our business community. The Joint Research Equipment Initiative provides a good example of the way that the Scottish Government and the UK Government are working together to produce real benefits for the people of Scotland."
Some examples of the successful awards are:
NOTES FOR NEWS EDITORS
1. For JREI 1999, seven Scottish universities were awarded funding:
| University | (number of awards) | amount of award from public funds |
|---|---|---|
| Glasgow | (8) | £949,000 |
| Edinburgh | (6) | £686,000 |
| Heriot-Watt | (4) | £813,000 |
| Aberdeen | (3) | £313,000 |
| Dundee | (3) | £107,000 |
| Strathclyde | (2) | £620,000 |
| St Andrews | (1) | £30,000 |
| TOTAL | (27) | £3,518,000 |
N.B. A further proposal is still under discussion.
2. JREI was launched in 1996 by the Office of Science and Technology and the higher education funding bodies to contribute to the UK's higher education research infrastructure and enable high-quality research to be undertaken with the investment.
3. Science Minister Lord Sainsbury and Education and Employment Minister Baroness Blackstone today (Monday 10 January) announced awards made under the 1999 round of JREI. More than 230 awards haveen made to more than 50 universities across the UK.
4. Matters relating to research councils are reserved to the UK Government. Higher Education policy and funding is devolved to the Scottish Government.
5. JREI is run as two competitions:
The Research Councils peer review the applications for both competitions.
£ represents pounds sterling