| 1999 |  |
YEAR BOOK |
| 1999 | |
YEAR BOOK |
University of Limerick
Stuart Hampshire
Academia-Industry research links at the University of Limerick
Research in Materials & Surface Science at UL. The University of Limerick (UL), under its President, Dr Roger G.H. Downer, recognises research as a central element in its institutional mandate and aspires to an institutional ethos that is characterised by enquiry and a continuing quest for new knowledge. It has been eminently successful in attracting research funding from industry, the European Union, Irish National Agencies and other private and public funding sources. UL is now poised to build upon the solid foundation that was established during its formative years. The University has contributed to meeting Ireland’s growing need for special expertise and leadership in new technologies and believes that it must play an active role in developing new ideas and being at the cutting edge in R&D. Research Mission and Organisation Research is central to the mission of the University and is closely linked to the academic structure at College level. The University is organised into six Colleges - Business, Education, Engineering, Humanities, Informatics & Electronics, Science - each having an Assistant Dean for Research who has responsibility for the stimulation and co-ordination of research activity in the College. The Associate Vice-President for Research has responsibility for the overall co-ordination of the University’s research activities, including recruitment of postgraduate students, promotion of research awards, seed funding schemes, approval and monitoring of research contracts, encourage-ment of inter-disciplinary research, advice to Faculty and Staff, the University’s European Liaison Office and University/ Industry research linkages. This approach to the organisation of research is regarded as being on a par with best practice in Europe. Research Strengths and Priorities The University is fully committed to the Programmes in Advanced Technology (PATs), which were established to strengthen Ireland’s indigenous capability in selected niche areas of S&T which would impact on innovation and international competitiveness. Currently, UL houses four Centres associated with three of the PATs:
The University has recently undertaken an audit of its research capability, and its strengths lie in the following science and technology areas:
The University also houses a Centre for Biomedical and Environmental Sensor Technology (BEST) which is a joint venture with Dublin City University, Queen’s University, Belfast and the University of Ulster, funded by the International Fund for Ireland. Industry - University Linkages The University of Limerick has been involved with industry from its inception, and operates the largest Co-operative Education Programme (where students spend up to eight months in an industrial/commercial environment as part of their academic programmes) in Europe. During the placement, students carry out in-house research projects which can be continued once back at the University during the student’s final year. The link between technical progress and sustainable economic development and employment is now acknowledged, and universities can assist by entering into partnership with companies in order that industry can exploit their technological expertise and facilities. Over the last few years, UL has established the framework to facilitate appropriate levels of co-operation between academics, and flexibility in meeting the diverse needs of industry. European Union Industrial Research at UL The European Union Science & Technology Framework programmes continue to be important for funding major research projects. The programmes are industrially led and involve collaboration between companies and universities from different member states. The benefits for industry in these types of partnership are clear. A recent study shows that, under the EU Science Framework Programme: Industrial and Materials Technologies, research projects carried out by companies in collaboration with Universities led to greater competitiveness than projects involving companies acting without University support for their R&D. Faculty at the University of Limerick have been extremely successful in attracting funding under these European programmes - placed seventh overall among European Universities in total funding under Industrial and Materials Technologies sub-programme in both the 3rd and 4th Framework Programmes (1990-1998). EU Projects involving industrial partners include work on Inorganic Membrane Reactors, Catalysts, Aeromechanical Design of Turbine Blades, Laminar Flow on Aircraft, Aircraft Crash Survivability, Advanced Ceramics for Wear Resistance, High Temperature Corrosion, Speciality Glasses, Glass-ceramics for Dental Applications, Biomaterials for Hip Joints, Mobile Communications, Computer-supported Co-operative Work, Ergonomics, etc. University - Industry Applied Research Scheme This scheme, which is administered by Enterprise Ireland, is designed to encourage applied research projects which have direct industrial and commercial application. Some recent examples of these types of projects at UL include the following:
Other topic areas include:
These are just a few examples of industrially-related research projects at UL. The University Technology and Enterprise Development Unit – Campus Companies This specialised unit within the Office of Research was established to support and develop the innovative activity emanating from the University, and its brief includes:
The Campus Company programme, initiated in 1994, is promoted and operated in close co-operation with the Shannon Development Company – the Regional Development Agency. Of the current Campus Company pipeline of 37 projects, 17 are trading: the other 20 are at varying stages along the development cycle. Companies trading include Piercom and ZPM Europe. Innovation Board The Innovation Board, a joint initiative between the University of Limerick and Shannon Development, has as its focus: Innovation through the commercialisation of Knowledge and Technology. The Board meets monthly and is co-chaired by the Associate Vice-President Research of UL and the Director of the National Technological Park, Limerick, on which UL is located. The work of the Board has been to find mechanisms for accelerating the technology commercialisation process. Projects would typically:
A number of feasibility studies are in progress. Atlantic University Alliance The Atlantic University Alliance, launched in May 1999, is a co-operative initiative between the three universities on the Atlantic seaboard of Ireland, comprising University College, Cork (UCC), the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG) and the University of Limerick (UL), which provides an integrated approach to assist the economies of the Southern, Western and Shannon regions. It will facilitate the effective transfer and commercialisation of technology between the universities and industry through applied interdisciplinary programmes. The three universities have recently completed a technology needs and resources study of the three regions. This was funded by Enterprise Ireland, and a programme to promote Research, Innovation and Technology within Enterprises (RITE) has been formulated from this study. This will harness the collective strengths and resources of UCC, NUIG and UL to facilitate innovation within companies and to meet the technology and management training requirements of industry, especially indigenous industry within the three regions. The Future The continuing success of University of Limerick researchers in industrially-led EU and National programmes ensures a pipeline for new ventures well into the future. The decades to come will bring new alliances with industry, new sources of funding, and new areas for research. UL intends to be to the forefront of developments. The University accepts that a strong focus on research is critical to sustaining and enhancing the interest and commitment of partners, to the generation of new ideas, to the training of young researchers, to the improvement of teaching, and to the further enrichment of our knowledge base.
Research in Bioelectronics/Biomedical Engineering at UL. Contact: Professor Stuart Hampshire,
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