NORTHERN IRELAND IS LOOKING TO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE GEORGIA RESEARCH ALLIANCE FOR GUIDANCE IN FORMING TIES BETWEEN INDUSTRY, GOVERNMENT AND UNIVERSITIES THAT WILL HELP THE TINY COUNTRY DEVELOP ITS INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY, SAID DERMOT DEMPSTER, EXECUTIVE OF HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES WITH THE NORTHERN IRELAND GROWTH CHALLENGE (NIGC).

THE NIGC, A GOVERNMENT AGENCY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IS PART OF A BIOTECHNOLOGY TRADE DELEGATION THAT VISITED ATLANTA MAY 16-20.  THE DELEGATION CONSISTED OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM NORTHERN IRELAND’S BIOTECH INDUSTRY, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND PROFESSORS FROM IT’S TWO UNIVERSITIES, THE UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER AND THE QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY OF BELFAST.

THE GOAL OF THE RESEARCH ALLIANCE IS TO ASSIST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN GEORGIA BY PROMOTING RESEARCH AND FACILITATING THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO THE MARKETPLACE

“WE WANTED TO LOOK AT A CLUSTER SIMILAR TO NORTHERN IRELAND,” SAID MR. DEMPSTER, EXPLAINING THE GROUP’S INTEREST IN GEORGIA. “GEORGIA HAS ALREADY GONE DOWN THE PATH WE’VE STARTED,” HE SAID, COMPARING GEORGIA’S ECONOMIC RECOVERY AFTER THE CIVIL WAR TO THE TASK OF REBUILDING NORTHERN IRELAND’S ECONOMY FOLLOWING 25 YEARS OF CIVIL UNREST.

THE DELEGATION MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE ALLIANCE, INCLUDING EMORY AND GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITIES.

THE GROUP ALSO CAME TO ATLANTA TO PROMOTE FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN NORTHERN IRELAND, ESPECIALLY IN THE GROWING BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY.

A QUICK AND STREAMLINED REGULATORY APPROVAL PROCESS MAKES NORTHERN IRELAND VERY ATTRACTIVE AS A LAUNCHING PAD FOR MARKETS BOTH IN EUROPE AND THE U.S., SAID MR. DEMPSTER.

A WELL-EDUCATED WORK FORCE, “EXTREMELY GENEROUS GOVERNMENT GRANTS,” AND A UNIVERSITY SYSTEM THAT CAN TAILOR PROGRAMS TO A COMPANY’S NEEDS ARE ALSO INCENTIVES FOR LOCATING IN NORTHERN IRELAND, HE ADDED.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT INVESTING IN NORTHERN IRELAND OR ABOUT THE BIOTECHNOLOGY DELEGATION, CALL JOSEPH P. BURKE, VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AT THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD FOR NORTHERN IRELAND AT (404) 892-3972; FAX (404) 892-3952.

BY  BRIANA  PEHLMAN