Part of the RCUK Digital Economy Programme

UK and Indian governments, scientists and industrial engineers are embarking on a £9m ‘Next Generation Networks’ project to bring online education, healthcare and early warning weather/natural disaster systems to remote areas in both countries.

Part-funded by the Research Councils UK (RCUK) Digital Economy programme, which is being delivered by four of the research councils including the Arts and Humanities Research Council, this five-year collaboration will establish a virtual research centre to look for solutions from emerging and existing technologies

Technology such as wireless sensor networks could be used to deliver healthcare where resources are limited and automatically deliver real time data when monitoring pollution and seismic activity.

The project will also examine how existing IT infrastructure like copper cable networks can perform better, how to best set up new optical infrastructure and implement UK broadband technology across India.

The project grant comprises £2.5m from the Research Councils UK (RCUK) Digital Economy programme which is funded by the UK Government through DIUS (UK Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills). This has been matched by £2.5m from Indian Government’s Department of Science and Technology (DST).  A further £4m is being provided by a consortium of academic and industrial partners. 

Professor Gerard Parr from the University of Ulster is the lead UK academic on the project and BT is the lead UK company. India has an estimated 50m internet users, with 3.3m in rural areas.

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Media Contact: Jake Gilmore, Communications Manager. Tel: 0797 099 4586

Notes for editors:

For more information on the IU-ATC website (India-UK Advanced Technology Centre).

The consortium consists of leading universities in the UK and Institutes in India, and companies from both countries. These include the industrial lead BT, Infosys, Wipro, Sasken, Midas and Tejas. The University of Ulster in Northern Ireland is lead UK institution, and Surrey, University College London, Southampton, Bristol, St Andrews, Lancaster, Cambridge and Queen Mary are also participants. 5 leading Indian Research Institutes are taking part – IIT Madras as the lead Indian institute, Delhi, Mumbai, Kanpur and IISc Bangalore.  A number of SMEs are also involved.

For further information contact:

University of Ulster Press Office
+44 (0)28 90 366178
pressoffice@ulster.ac.uk

Digital Economy is an RCUK cross-council research programme, aimed at realising the transformational impact of ICT for all aspects of business, society and government. The programme is being delivered by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, Medical Research Council and Arts and Humanities Research Council.