Minister helps education and business to Connect with £4million programme

Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey, has announced a second phase of the Department’s highly successful Connected programme.

This is the first Knowledge Transfer project in the UK to be delivered between Higher and Further Education sectors. The £4million programme provides a “one-stop-shop” for companies wishing to access research and technical expertise within Queen’s University, the University of Ulster and Northern Ireland’s six Further Education Colleges.

Sir Reg said: “Since its launch as a pilot programme in 2007, Connected has enabled companies of all shapes and sizes gain access to world-class expertise, technology and research from Northern Ireland’s Universities and Colleges, assisting them to boost their competitiveness, develop new products and increase market opportunities.

“My decision to make the Connected pilot permanent and approve a second round of Connected to run for the next four years, represents a total investment of over £4million and is testament to the excellent work carried out in the past three years.

“Through Connected 2, businesses will continue to have coordinated access to the expertise represented by the six Regional Colleges and the two Universities - in terms of research, product development, Knowledge Transfer, innovation and training. Connected 2 will also incorporate additional strategic links with AFBI and CAFRE to improve the provision of effective and coordinated Knowledge Transfer services to Northern Ireland’s large and strategically important agri-food and biotechnology sectors.”

Welcoming the Minister’s announcement, John D’Arcy, Chief Executive of Colleges NI (the representative body of Northern Ireland's regional Colleges), said: “The Connected programme has delivered genuine added value to Northern Ireland PLC by supporting companies of all sizes in accessing the expertise that exists across our six regional Colleges and our universities. Department for Employment and Learning funding for the next four years of Connected 2 is a recognition of the vital role of partnership between our Colleges, Universities and local businesses in the future economy of Northern Ireland.”

Professor Richard Barnett, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ulster, said: “The University of Ulster welcomes the Minister’s decision to approve further funding for this transformational and UK-leading programme which has already generated important initiatives including the Open NI open source software project.

“We look forward, as part of Connected 2, to consolidating and enhancing our contribution to the academic enterprise and business engagement agenda which is crucial for the development of a competitive economy.”

Professor Peter Gregson, President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast, said: “Connected is a unique partnership between HE and FE which increases further the transfer of knowledge and skills from academia to industry. It provides a pathway for companies, particularly SMEs, to access the support needed to ensure the success of their efforts to innovate and grow their businesses. Queen’s University welcomes the continued support for this important programme and its contribution to maintaining Northern Ireland as the UK leader in linking business and industry with academe.”

The Minister concluded: “The stated priority of the Executive is the economy and it is of the utmost importance that we maintain this commitment, particularly during this period of real economic challenge. Connected 2 will make a key contribution in this regard, building on the successes of the pilot phase and delivering even greater benefit to business and the wider community over the next four years.”

Notes to editors:

1. “Connected” is the outworking of the Department for Employment and Learning’s “Higher and Further Education Collaboration Fund”, established in 2007 following close consultation with the Northern Ireland Business Alliance, the Further and Higher Education sectors and the Economic Development Forum.
2. The fund, which is worth £1million per annum, aims to ensure that the Higher and Further Education sectors can identify and meet, in a coordinated and holistic fashion, the Knowledge Transfer needs of businesses in particular, and also of the wider community.
3. A photograph from the Connected 2 launch, held at the Ramada Hotel, Belfast on 30 September, is available on the Department's website: Photo of Connected 2 Launch.
4. Media queries should be directed to the Department for Employment and Learning Communications Branch on 028 9025 7872. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.