Economy Minister Vaughan Gething has announced a new funding round worth £10 million over two years (2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025) for the internationally recognised Sêr Cymru programme to help build a “strong and dynamic” scientific research base in Wales.
The Sêr Cymru programme was set up to ensure science plays its full part in supporting the economic and national development of Wales.
Over the past 11 years the Sêr Cymru programme has adapted to align with changing research, development & innovation drivers, which in turn have responded to economic and health issues such as the aftermath of leaving the EU and impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. It has generated over £252 million in research income as a return for £110 million investment by Welsh Government, successfully building research capacity and capability in Wales.
The investment has:
- Phase I and II supported a number of high-profile Research Chairs and rising stars, 115 Research Fellowships, 340 PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, and 9 rising stars for research projects in Supported.
- Phase III provided £2.5 million funding to Welsh Universities for 40 novel research projects that could contribute to - or boost - the advancement of research that impacts Covid-19. More recently further funding (£2.3 million) was provided to five Welsh universities (Cardiff, Bangor, Cardiff Metropolitan, Swansea and Aberystwyth) to purchase equipment for the interdisciplinary research areas such as healthcare, compound semiconductors and hydrogen generation and low carbon and nuclear.
The launch of the new phase IV will support the missions within the Welsh Government’s new Innovation Strategy for Wales, which sets out the aim for Wales to be a leading innovation-based nation. Sêr Cymru is an important delivery component of the Strategy.
For further information please select the following link Sêr Cymru IV: Economy Minister announces £10 million to support scientific research in Wales | GOV.WALES