Northern Ireland's two universities are to see above-inflation increases in their total funding for 2009-10 after nearly ?200 million in block grants covering teaching and research was announced by the Department for Employment and Learning (DELNI).

Queen's 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ Belfast will see its total funding increase in cash terms by 4.2 per cent, equating to 2.2 per cent when inflation of 2 per cent is factored in.

The 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Ulster will see its budget rise by 2.6 per cent, equivalent to 0.6 per cent with inflation.

The allocations include increases in research funding for both universities as a result of the 2008 research assessment exercise - the first appraisal of Northern Ireland's research strengths in seven years.

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Overall research funding in the province will rise 7.7 per cent in cash terms, on a par with the highest level of increase in the UK awarded in England.

"The increase in funding is in acknowledgement of the world-class research undertaken by our local universities," said Sir Reg Empey, the Minister for Employment and Learning.

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Overall funding for research will increase by 7.9 per cent at Queen's and 7.6 per cent at Ulster, although on the quality-related research (QR) element, Ulster will do proportionately better than Queen's, which is the only Northern Irish member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities.

Mainstream QR funding will rise 5.4 per cent at Ulster, to ?14 million, compared with a rise of only 2 per cent at Queen's, to ?24 million.

Overall, Queen's will receive ?110 million, up ?4.4 million, while Ulster will receive ?89.5 million, a rise of ?2.2 million. The funding formula for QR mirrored that used in England, with work in the top three of four categories (4*, 3* and 2*) funded wherever it was found.

"World-leading" (4*) research was funded at a rate seven times higher, and "internationally excellent" (3*) research at a rate three times higher, than "internationally recognised" (2*) research.

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A DELNI spokesman said an additional ?2 million in research funding for 2009-10 would be likely for areas of importance to the economy.

zoe.corbyn@tsleducation.com