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"Focusing on leading edge and emerging technologies is key to ensuring that the UK maintains a strong base on which to build our future science and innovation capability,” said Science and Innovation Minister, Lord Sainsbury, announcing the funding. The money will be directed towards collaborative research and development projects in six priority areas identified as key in helping the UK to achieve its R&D intensity targets. The areas include regenerative medicine technologies, energy and technologies for data and content storage. The competition for the projects will formally open on November 24th at a launch event in London, with a supporting series of events to be held across the UK. "Pinpointing funding to help new ideas flourish will strengthen
the transition of exciting projects from the drawing board to the market
place. With more than £300m committed by Government we are working
towards our aim of increasing the UK's R&D intensity to 2.5% by
2014," added Lord Sainsbury.
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The
latest round of the Government’s £370m Technology Programme
will see £63m being made available to UK businesses this Autumn,
in a bid to drive innovation in emerging technologies. 
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“The Broadband Gap project brings the region a step nearer to 100% broadband availability and we are delighted that work on these eight exchanges has been completed ahead of schedule,” said John Snyder, EEDA board member. “The project has provided the communities in these exchange areas with the latest, high speed IT technology. As a result these rural communities will no longer be dragging behind the rest of the region, but leading the way, by having access to SDSL technology.” The improvements will enable businesses in the areas to employ higher speed online applications and services that were unavailable on dial-up services, such as video conferencing. Peter McCarthy-Ward, BT’s Regional Director for the East of England added; ”The region is now ideally placed to lead the nation in the practical use of broadband technologies through the realisation of EEDA’s ICT strategy.” |
Eight
remote rural communities across the East of England have been equipped
with high-speed broadband internet service following an EEDA (East of
England Development Agency) funded project. The locations across Cambridgeshire,
Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk were highlighted in the BT-supported
‘Broadband Gap’ project, which aimed to upgrade the remaining
telephone exchanges in the region that were not on schedule for the
broadband work.
The Government’s BSF programme, of which Greenwich is a pathfinder authority, aims to improve the quality of education through better building and ICT facilities. The project has been heavily backed with a £2.2bn fund in its launch year (2004) and a further £3bn earmarked for 2005-06. Greenwich is preparing its schools in line with the aims of the programme, with five secondary schools involved in the first stage of the initiative. Socitm Consulting will review systems and software to promote e-confidence and e-competence, along with a detailed consultation on Greenwich’s ICT aims with a broad range of stakeholders. “We are very excited to be part of this process because Greenwich has recognised ICT as a transformational tool that is linked with many other factors in education and the community,” said Socitm Consulting’s Managing Consultant Stephen Hill. “By developing a collective vision for ICT it is laying the groundwork for a successful educational future.” “The visioning exercise will result in a better understanding
of ICT as a transformational factor in our BSF programme,” added
Mike Hickie, Head of Policy, Education Directorate, Greenwich Council.
“Transformation is a goal that extends well beyond the provision
of ICT alone, but by getting ICT right we hope to ensure that our schools
are prepared for the future.” |
The
London Borough of Greenwich has appointed Socitm Consulting to assist
with its work on ICT services in schools and the Building Schools for
the Future (BSF) programme.
The ODPM has announced details of the migration of three more local e-government National Projects to controlling councils, as part of the transfer programme for the projects. The ownership of the e-government National Projects were offered to local authorities in February as part of the Government’s long-term strategy. The latest three projects to be handed over are “e-Pay” which has gone to the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, “e-Democracy” which will be taken on by North Lincolnshire Council, and the National e-Procurement Project which the London Borough of Newham will facilitate. “The local e-government National Projects Programme has been a major catalyst for innovation and transformation in local government,” said Minister for Local e-government Jim Fitzpatrick. “The commitment of local authorities to developing and promoting the products of the National Projects ensures that others will continue to benefit from the improvements in services and efficiencies these products deliver.“ Caroline Stanger, Director of Business Support and Development at Cambridgeshire
County Council and Chair of the National Projects migration programme
added; “I'm delighted that so many local authorities have shown
the imagination and entrepreneurial approach needed to take on these
products and develop them further. Most of the local e-government National
Projects have finished - but the products will continue to be developed
by local authorities for the benefit of other local authorities.”
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England’s public libraries have joined forces to offer a new suite of fully interactive online services, known as Enquire, Discover and Read, giving the public a single, central resource for national libraries for the first time. The system allows people to ask questions and explore books online, 24 hours a day. The three online services are managed by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) "In 2002 the People's Network, led by MLA, gave people broadband access to the internet bringing public libraries into the 21st century. With the launch of Enquire, Discover and Read, from the new People's Network website, public libraries are delivering valued and trusted services to people 24/7,” said Chris Batt, Chief Executive of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. “Now people can have any question answered, be guided through the web and explore books and reading online at their convenience. The People's Network website will quickly become a useful key for everyone to unlock the power of public libraries online." |
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