ABSTRACT
The Regional Research Laboratory (RRL) Initiative was launched in 1987 by the British Economic and Social Research Council to establish regional centres of excellence in fields of data handling, database management, geographical analysis, software development, training and advice. This chapter describes the main features of trial and main phases of the Initiative and evaluates the experience that has been gained so far in relation to the several objectives reflected in its title. It considers some of the possible long-term impacts of RRL Initiative in relation to these objectives and compares the research strategy developed in Initiative with that being implemented in the US by the National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis. The RRLs have had a major impact on their regional research communities in raising overall levels of awareness about the issues involved in data resources management. There are a number of important differences between the nature of main phase of the RRL Initiative as against the trial phase.
