Write a commentThe province's top future innovators had their work recognised recently at the prestigious BEST Awards ceremony. Now in its sixth year the BEST Awards recognise innovation in a wide range of areas ranging from creative industries, to visual design and life sciences being cultivated by students and lecturers across Northern Ireland’s six Further Education Colleges.
The Awards are organised by Colleges NI who are the representative body for all six of Northern Irelands Further Education Colleges. The Awards are linked to the development of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.
This year there were 103 entries from across Northern Ireland competing for 11 category prizes and four grand prizes covering the age range from 16 to 19+.
Southern Regional College students scooped 3 out of the 4 grand prizes!
Winner of the 16 to 18 Age Category was Dermot Savage from SRC who created an incubator for lambs to increase survival. The runner up was Amy Anderson from SRC who examined the antibiotics lifespan in the veterinary industry. The winner of the 19+ age category was Nadine Gollogly from SRC who developed an alerts system to tell you when to change your child’s nappy.
The projects include: app development, games; stem cell research, drone technology, beauty therapy and cancer research.
The winners have been chosen by a panel of 39 judges drawn from some of Northern Ireland’s leading businesses including Seagate, Dupont and Bank of Ireland as well as Universities, Government Departments and the MATRIX the Northern Ireland Science Industry Panel.
Gerry Campbell, Chief Executive of Colleges NI said “Our congratulations go to each of the winners and all the finalists who were shortlisted for the BEST Awards. The calibre of submissions this year points towards a very bright future for young and mature innovators in the FE sector as well as positive news for our local economy. The ideas put forward were inspiring to the judging panel and all of us here.
“Northern Ireland desperately needs the skills that our young people have put on show today. They will help us face the economic challenges of the global marketplace.
The devolution of Corporation Tax will create a new positive and pro-business invitation to not only the global investment community but also indigenous businesses in Northern Ireland.
I welcome and am grateful for the participation and support of our new Department for the Economy and the new Department for Communities. The Further Education sector wishes you and your new Ministers Simon Hamilton and Paul Givan every success.
I will make an early plea that your Departments and the forthcoming Programme for Government recognise that investment in skills is the basis for economic growth and will enable us to take full advantage of the benefits that Corporation Tax will bring. Cuts to investment in skills will directly equate to a cut in the economic success of Northern Ireland that will be the key measure of success for the new administration in Stormont.
Colleges and universities together will be your key partners in delivering the foundations of an economy that will see an increase in employment, an increase in our competitiveness and an increase in innovation. Many if not all of the projects on show here today have the potential to help you and us reach that goal. We look forward to working with you.”
