NICER Programme
The UKRI National Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Research (NICER) Programme is a four-year £30 million investment sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to move the UK towards a circular economy.
The Programme is made up of five Circular Economy Research Centres, each focused on a speciality material flow, and the co-ordinating CE-Hub. The Programme aims to deliver research, innovation, and the evidence base to move the UK towards a resilient UK circular economy. The NICER programme is the largest and most comprehensive investment in the UK Circular Economy to date. The programme is delivered in partnership with industrial organisations from across sectors and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), to ensure research outcomes contribute to the delivery of industrial implementation and government policy.
The 4 year programme launched in January 2021, initially comprising of 34 universities and over 150 industrial partners, with a key aim of growing the Circular Economy community through a significant programme of outreach and collaboration. To find out more about our collaborative activity, visit our News section.
The five Circular Economy Research Centres and co-ordinating Hub that make up the NICER Programme are as follows:
- The National Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Research Hub (CE-Hub), led by the University of Exeter
- The Textiles Circularity Centre (TCC), led by the Royal College of Art
- The Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Centre for Mineral-based Construction Materials (ICEC-MCM), led by UCL
- The National Interdisciplinary Centre for the Circular Chemical Economy (CircularChem), led by Loughborough University
- The Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Centre for Technology Metals (Met4Tech), led by the University of Exeter
- The Interdisciplinary Centre for Circular Metals (CircularMetal), led by Brunel University London.
