- The Universityâs North of England Robotics Innovation Centre (NERIC) has been awarded £3.6 million Research England Development (RED) funding from Research England, part of UK Research and Innovation, in a bid to accelerate innovation and research in the fast-moving world of robotics. The construction of the new centre was announced last year and is part of the £2.5 billion Crescent Masterplan that has the ambition to regenerate Salford, the wider city region as part of a 20-year agreement. Dr Georgina Harris, Director of Engineering at The University of Salford said: âWe are delighted to have been awarded this Research England Development funding reaffirming our reputation for knowledge and expertise in robotics and automation. The award will support us with the recruitment of robotics specialists, invest in specialist facilities for the centre and enable us to play a pivotal role in the technology transfer from innovative research to industrial deployment.