Centres of Research Excellence

Centres of Research Excellence

Last updated 4 March 2024
Last updated 4 March 2024

The Centres of Research Excellence (CoREs) Fund was established in 2001 to encourage the development of excellent tertiary education-based research that is collaborative, strategically focused and creates significant knowledge transfer activities.

Who applies:  Universities, Wānanga or Te Pūkenga

Agreed through:  Contract (off Plan)

Centres of Research Excellence (CoREs) are inter-organisational research networks, with researchers working together on commonly agreed work programmes. CoREs make a contribution to New Zealand’s development and link to user groups. They also build research capacity and capabilities through post-graduate programmes and the training of new researchers.

Funding from the CoREs Fund is determined through a fully contestable process.

CoREs funding rounds

The first CoREs were established in 2002 and further funding rounds were undertaken in 2006/07, 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2019/20. Currently ten CoREs are funded to 31 December 2028.

2019/20 funding round

Ten CoREs were selected for funding from 1 July 2021.

The Royal Society Te Apārangi administered the selection round on behalf of the TEC. The TEC has $49.8 million per annum (GST exclusive) available to invest in CoREs.