associations. The Department of Glass Technology was, however, set up before the Research Associations Scheme was formulated, and its constitution as a University Department does not conform with that scheme, although its organisation and functions are closely similar to those of a research association. For this reason the Department has not received grants from the D.S.I.R. under the Research Associations Scheme, except that from 1919 to 1924 the Delegacy received through the Glass Research Association £13,624 for specific researches, and a grant of £1,875 from the D.S.I.R. in 1925.
Negotiations have been entered upon on two or three occasions with the object of obtaining contributions towards the work of the Department from the D.S.I.R., but without success, the difficulty being that its constitution does not conform to the type laid down as making a body eligible for such grants.
The organisation and functions of the Department, as has already been mentioned, are closely similar to those of a research association, the main difference being that the Department is constituted as a Department of a University and includes educational work in addition to its research association activities. Since, however, no scientific or technological training in glass and glass production is given by any other educational organisation in the country, there is a clear need for the educational activities of the Department, a need greatly stressed by the industry when the formation of the Department was first mooted. It may be interpolated here that although technological education for the engineering and other industriea has been provided by universities and technical colleges for many decades, such training for the glass industry has been available only in the Department. The value of the educational work, to which the other scientific and technological departments of the University contribute, is greatly enhanced by the close contact which is maintained with the industry through the other activities of the Department, and the long-date researches carried out by post-graduate workers in the Department ensure that its activities are not entirely occupied in the solution of day-to-day problems and in short-date investigations.
Whilst the present arrangements have proved of great benefit to all sections of the glass industry, we consider that the industry will best be served for technical research by the setting up of a research association associated with, but not identified with, the University Department of Glass Technology and having its own separate staff and financial provision. The advantages of having a staff concentrating on research for the industry are clear. Freed from the responsibility of University work, they would be able to devote their whole time to the study of the industry and the solution of its problems, and would be able to acquire more intimate knowledge of its processes by frequent works visits and by contact with technologists and others working in the industry. The formation of a research association would make available financial support in the form of an annual grant from the D.S.I.R., the amount of which would be conditioned by the amount of the contribution from the industry.
The size which the research unit should be, and the amount of money which should be raised for its maintenance, will have to be considered with full regard to the needs of the industry, but it would appear that an annual income of at least £25,000 should be aimed at for the moment, increasing to at least £50,000 within the next five years. The manner in which the contribution from the industry is to be raised would, again, be the subject of negotiation between the D.S.I.R. and the industry.
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