 The building will bring together 500 researchers under one roof |
A �42m research centre for virtual reality, robotics and intelligent systems has been officially opened at the University of Edinburgh. The facility will bring together about 500 scientists with interests in the new science of informatics. First Minister Alex Salmond said the "Informatics Forum" would advance the university's position as a world leader in informatics. He added that it would also offer major benefits to industry and commerce. The Scottish Government, through Scottish Enterprise, provided �14m towards the construction of the building in Crichton Street. The government has also pledged a further �14.5m over the next five years, from Scottish Funding Council cash, for the Scottish Informatics and Computer Science Alliance (SICSA). The funding will be used to pool together research among 10 Scottish universities.  The hi-tech research centre cost a total of �42m |
During the official opening ceremony, Mr Salmond said: "This project will act as a hub for the academic, commercial and civil development of a range of informatics disciplines ranging from e-science and medicine to business and humanities." He added that the government wanted to build on Scottish universities' research and scientific record to promote sustainable economic growth. The original department was destroyed by the Cowgate fire in Edinburgh more than three years ago. Prof Michael Fourman, head of the School of Informatics, said the new facility would bring together "first-rate" researchers into a "collaborative environment".
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