Irish Government Departments
The CIRCA Group has worked extensively for the Irish Government and other State organisations and the Government has published work done by us. For example, a contribution on science and technology policy by the company - 'Science, Technology and Innovation in Relation to National Competitiveness and Economic Development' - was published by the Science, Technology and Innovation Council, an advisory body to the Irish Government on innovation and science. The CIRCA Group also played an active part in the recent Foresight exercises. The CIRCA Group has undertaken many other different types of assignments for Government Departments including programme evaluations (ESA in Ireland), strategic studies and plans (the aquaculture sector), value for money programme assessments (Forestry programme), assisting the strategic management initiative, and exploratory studies (IPR management in the State sector). This work has been undertaken for the
- Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
- Department of Education and Science
- Department of Agriculture and Food
- Department of Communictions, Marine and Natural Resources
- Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
- Department of Foreign Affairs - Irish Aid
CIRCA Group also works at a regional and local level and, for example, its report - "Making Rural Development Work - The Tipperary Institute Approach" - which has been adopted as part of government policy. It is undertaken an Innovation Audit for the Border, Midlands and Western Region, evaluations of the Irish Government's two major R&D funding schemes (PRTLI & SFI).
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The European Commission
The European Commission is a major client of the company, where its expertise is well recognised, especially by DGs Research, Information Society, Regional Policy, and Energy. This work covers science and technology policy, innovation policy, programme evaluation, human resource development, local and regional policy and programmes, telematics, materials, environment, and energy.
CIRCA has undertaken assignments in all EU countries and in most Central European countries and Russia on behalf of the EU. CIRCA has been very actively involved in the transition countries currently joining the EU. It has partners in most European countries and frequently works with PriceWaterhouseCoopers, KPMG, Deloitte and Touche and others. CIRCA led an assignment in thirteen EU countries, which also involved PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Fraunhofer (Germany) and a number of other international partners.
Other assignments for the EC included the Task Force on education, training, human capital and mobility for DG Employment and Social Affairs and the development of the European guide and benchmarking took-kit for industrial innovation for DG Enterprise.
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Irish Scientific & Higher Education Organisations
The CIRCA Group has worked with virtually all the Irish scientific organisations and Higher Education organisations including Forfas - The Science and Technology Policy Agency, the Higher Education Authority, The Conference of Heads of Irish Universities (CHIU), Teagasc - The Agriculture Research, Training and Development Authority, The Marine Institute. The Health Research Board, The Environmental Protection Agency, COFORD, the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS), etc. and a most of the individual higher education colleges. This work has ranged from strategic planning; organisational change; programme planning and evaluation; innovation centre and technology centres feasibility studies, business planning and evaluation; and research management performance (output and impact assessment);
Projects include a review of research capabilities in Biotechnology and ICT in seven Irish universities for CHIU; planning and implementing a selection process for funded research projects, Environmental Protection Agency; Health Research Board, Survey of national Health R&D activities (1999-2000); and the Foresight Initiative for Forfa?s, Preparation of Technology Foresight Report for the Natural Resources and Pharmachem sectors; to mention but a few.
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Development Agencies in Southern Ireland & Northern Ireland (UK)
The CIRCA Group has undertaken assignments in Southern Ireland and in Northern Ireland (UK) for devekopment agencies such as the Industrial Development Authority, Enterprise Ireland, FAS - The National Training and Employment Authority, Invest Northern Ireland. IFI and InterTradeIreland. These included: an evaluation of the Research, Technology and Innovation initiative for Enterprise Ireland and Forfa?s; Review of the FDA regulatory requirements of Irish biotech companies; Pilot innovation implementation programme with 17 companies; Evaluation of Northern Ireland's industrial research grants scheme (START) providing Stg?40M for pre-competitive research in N. I. firms and universities; a review of R&D performance in multinational companies in Ireland; and a survey and mapping study of the Irish Biotech sector and an assessment of their collaboration practices.
In addition, the CIRCA Group undertakes EU sponsored research in the development/enterprise area such as a University of Sussex (UK) led study of the relationship between science and technology policies and industrial policies in Europe. Consortium with SPRU, University of Sussex, and Italian, French, German and Swedish partners.
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Private Companies
CIRCA has undertaken assignments for a wide range of private organisations and companies of all sizes in the services and manufacturing sector, e.g., dairy products, fish processing, other food, electronics, sub-supply, engineering, clothing, construction, training, tourism, etc.
The range of projects has covered corporate strategy, marketing strategy, business development, lean manufacturing, new product development, operational systems, information technology and knowledge systems.
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International Scientific Organisations
Japan: The company has collaborated with the Japanese National Institute for Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP) in Tokyo resulting in the joint publication of "Regionalisation of Science and Technology Resources in the Context of Globalisation", Industrial Research Centre of Japan (1994).
U.S: CIRCA Group assignments in the US have included A Review of Regional Strategies for Promotion of RTD in US, Japan, Ireland and UK for DG Information Society SPRINT, and A Review of Comparative Experiences in RTD Development in Lagging Regions in US and EU, for the National Science Foundation, Washington DC.
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