Pounds 6 million centre for excellence

Crawford Beveridge, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise, has announced plans for a Pounds 6 million centre of excellence in microelectronics and semiconductors based at Edinburgh University.

The Scottish Microelectronics Centre, a joint venture between the university, Scottish Enterprise and Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Ltd, will house world-class research development and design facilities, with researchers from Edinburgh's department of electronics and electrical engineering offering support to high-tech companies.

The centre is expected to be fully operational by spring 2000. David Crichton, chief executive of LEEL, said the centre "will help create new companies, new high value jobs and new products through an innovative public and private sector collaboration".