Innovation: R&D in Northern Ireland
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Northern Ireland needs to fight for European funding to fast-track its R&D performance and catch up with competing regions. The province cannot afford to lag behind in innovation. While the Republic has drawn down €290 million from Europe’s key innovation programme, Northern Ireland’s applications total just €30 million. That gap is an urgent wake-up call for the Executive to promote the region’s R&D, especially as the Seventh Framework Programme finishes in 2013. Statistics for 2010 make clear that business leads the way in local innovation. The private sector spent...[full story]
Innovation: Manu-services
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Combining goods and services into packages is vital for UK manufacturing’s future success, according to the Work Foundation’s Andrew Sissons. He explains ‘manu-services’ to agendaNi. UK manufacturers can create a global edge by backing up their products with high quality support services, according to Work Foundation author Andrew Sissons. The trend, known as manu-services, was the subject of his ‘More than making things’ report, which he launched in March. Manufacturing is essential for rebalancing the economy and closing the strategic trade gap but the UK is slipping back...[full story]
Innovation: Invest NI-driving innovation to boost business
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Invest NI’s plans to support business R&D. The most recently published figures show that Northern Ireland expenditure on research and development in 2010 was the highest ever, with spending by businesses increasing by 6 per cent on the previous year to £344 million, with spend by locally owned companies up 27 per cent to £109.9 million in 2010. Businesses very clearly recognise the value of investing in new products and processes to keep ahead of the competition and strengthen their long-term position. In the first half of this year, Invest Northern Ireland made 70 offers to businesses...[full story]
Innovation: Scandinavia’s R&D success
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Northern Ireland must follow Scandinavia’s lead and cut business grants which don’t back R&D. Graham Gudgin discusses a radical new direction with agendaNi. “We’ve got to look for good role models and not merely the nearest but our real problem in Northern Ireland is complacency,” says Graham Gudgin in a sharp critique of the region’s economic culture. Gudgin currently works at Cambridge University’s Centre For Business Research and has analysed Northern Ireland’s economy since 1985. “The most immediate place to look is the Civil Service,” he says of the problem....[full story]
Innovation: Israel – an R&D leader
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Israel is recognised as a world leader in research and development. agendaNi explores why. Disadvantaged by its small size, Israel’s scientific and technological policies are aimed at enhancing its competitive position. It gross domestic expenditure on R&D as percentage of GDP is 4.7 per cent compared to 2.7 per cent in the United States and 2.01 in Europe. Private sector spend as a percentage of its GDP is 3.39 per cent compared to 2.01 and 1.25 in the US and Europe. Israel’s universities have a strong reputation for technological advancement and all ministries employ chief scientists. Within...[full story]
Innovation: Consilium-New headquarters
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Consilium Technologies opens new corporate headquarters in Belfast following recent US expansion. One of Northern Ireland’s leading tech companies, Consilium Technologies, has announced the opening of its new corporate headquarters in Belfast. The company recently launched a major expansion at their North American facility in Boston and this move will allow the firm to scale its UK operations alongside its US facility. The move coincides with the company’s leading product TotalMobile™ announced as a medallist for the UK Mobile IT Innovation Award. Previously based in the Antrim...[full story]
Energy: Nuclear’s 21st century potential
Wednesday, December 21st, 2011William Nuttall, a technology policy specialist at Cambridge University, discusses the future of nuclear energy with Meadhbh Monahan. Nuclear energy doesn’t necessarily have an essential role to play going forward, but it is not “evil” either, according to William Nuttall. The academic is Director of Cambridge University’s Management of Technology and Innovation (MoTI) Programme and Assistant Director of its Electricity Policy Research Group. “In the UK, when the ordinary members of the public think of nuclear, they think of themselves as the potential victims of a future accident,...[full story]
ICT: BT’s Peter Russell – partnership with government
Monday, October 10th, 2011A summary of BT’s work with government and the difference it makes. BT has developed an impressive track record of providing transformation for local and devolved government bodies, including those in Northern Ireland. Our expertise in this arena has evolved to complement BT’s long-standing core competency in ICT. It now embraces innovative commercial models, a complete range of people and change management skills, and the ability to deliver economic benefits such as job creation and regeneration at a regional level. Here is a look at our track record: different challenges, bespoke...[full story]
