South West College (SWC), in collaboration with a consortium of strategic partners, has successfully secured funding of €7.6 million to launch the Powering Research & Innovation for Advanced Manufacturing (PRISM) Project. PRISM aims to support SMEs to introduce sustainable product development & manufacturing practices. The project is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).
PRISM will harness commercially focused Research and Innovation expertise to drive decarbonisation in 24 companies across three sub-regional manufacturing clusters: Mineral Processing, Polymer Processing & Agrifood. The R&I expertise deployed will support SMEs to accelerate the development of low carbon products & processes which decarbonize their respective manufacturing processes, thus improving both economic & environmental performance.
Joining SWC in this endeavour are Atlantic Technical University, Queens University Belfast, Dublin City University, North West Regional College and Cavan Innovation and Technology Centre. Supported by the PEACEPLUS Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), PRISM will be headquartered at South West College, with activities extending across 10 counties: Antrim, Armagh, Derry-Londonderry, Donegal, Down, Fermanagh, Monaghan, Leitrim, Louth and Tyrone.
Celine McCartan, Principal and Chief Executive of SWC, expressed her enthusiasm for the funding announcement and highlighted the project's potential, saying:
“I am immensely pleased that we have secured another substantial funding package to support our region. This project is pivotal in equipping our Advanced Manufacturing and other key industries in rural Fermanagh and Tyrone with the skills needed to meet the challenges of achieving Net Zero.
We are thrilled to collaborate with dedicated educational partners, industry and Trade Associations both within Northern Ireland and cross-border. I would like to extend my gratitude to our college staff for their exceptional work in developing this initiative and to SEUPB for their support and investment in this vital project."
SEUPB Chief Executive Gina McIntyre said:
“Economic development in any post-conflict region is essential for underpinning peace, by creating prosperity. The provision of support for SMEs, research and innovation in specific areas identified is a key focus within the PEACEPLUS Programme.
“By investing in collaborative innovation through these eight projects, we will see the development of strong and entrepreneurial, innovation-led ecosystems that drive sustainable growth, increased productivity and competitive advantage.
“We very much look forward to supporting the research organisations, enterprises and SMEs involved in the coming years to realise a wide range of economic benefits for Northern Ireland, the border counties of Ireland and beyond.”
PRISM has been co-designed on a cross-border basis, including significant industry input from the 24 participating SME's and 6 sectoral trade association's specific to the PRISM clusters: Mineral Products Association Northern Ireland, the Irish Concrete Federation, Northern Ireland Polymer Association, Plastics Ireland, Food & Drink Association & Food & Drink Ireland.
PRISM marks the fourth initiative led by SWC to receive PEACEPLUS funding in the past 15 months. Alongside GRASP which focuses on Green Skills Development, STRIDE, which supports the development of ICT solutions in rural communities, and Youthscape Plus, which promotes inclusion and progression for young people, these integrated efforts collectively represent over €28 million in support for inclusion, skills development, innovation and decarbonisation within the Fermanagh and Tyrone areas, as well as the wider region.