New Connections - Department of Taoiseach

Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS)-now provide 'bottom-up' funding fortalented individual researchers, students and postdoctoral fellows. In addition supportfor basic research is also provided by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) in the sectors ofbiotechnology and information and communications technologies (€67m allocated todate since 2000) and by Enterprise Ireland (EI) project research (€7.9m allocated in2001) and the Health Research Board (HRB) (€11.6m in 2001). As a result, there arenow well-established funding mechanisms in place to support individual researchers,research projects and institutions and which provide integrated programmatic supportfor the development of centers of excellence within and between the institutions.Ensure a vibrant and dynamic pool of high quality, technically literategraduates, from the graduate to postdoctoral levels, to service theneeds of a knowledge-based economyIn late 2003 the Higher Education Authority (HEA) has allocated some €5.5m to thirdlevel institutions to enable them to enhance and modernise equipment used in theteaching of Information Technology and Communications courses. This is the firstallocation from the Information Technology Investment Fund set up in 2003, andmanaged by the HEA, on foot of recommendations from the Expert Group on FutureSkills Needs. This upgrading of facilities will enhance the quality of teaching andlearning in ICT, and should also contribute to enhanced course completion rates in ICT.In addition to this first allocation, the HEA is currently reviewing submissions from theinstitutions for other Measures in the Fund. These proposals are aimed at enhancing thenumbers of students taking ICT courses at third level. Given the context of demographicdecline at second level, institutions were asked to consider in particular measures toenhance the participation rates of students from disadvantaged background in ICTcourses at third-level. It is hoped therefore that these proposals will both address theskills needs of the ICT sector and additionally contribute to the enhanced equity ofaccess to higher education. Finally, institutions have also been asked to examine meansto enhance the skills of existing employees in ICT industry, through for example, theprovision of part-time and modular day release education and include up-skilling ofthose in employment and opportunities for the unemployed to gain high technologyskills.(5.1.4) Products & ServicesETE• Help firms to develop innovative products, services, and processes• Upskill companies' RTI capability through a series of appropriate interventions• Commercialise research leading to the introduction of new knowledge-based productsand services into industry and to the creation of new technology based firmsSee below43