PHONE COMPANY BT is to invest more than €2 million in the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition.

This is an annual event which BT has organised and sponsored for 12 years, and it announced today that it has signed on to sponsor it for a further three years and will invest millions into the exhibition.

This is the largest exhibition of its kind in Europe.

As part of its sponsorship, BT will increase its travel and accommodation grant by 50 per cent to €75,000, which is sure to be a boost to schools that need to make a long journey to Dublin for the event.

Students who have taken part in the exhibition have gone on to international events such as the UK Young Scientist and the International Science and Engineering Fair in the USA.

Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn TD, said that the Irish exhibition – which is now entering its 48th year – “provides the motivation and stimulus to encourage today’s students to strive to be at the forefront of research and innovation in tomorrow’s world”.

BT is calling on students to begin preparing their projects for the 2012 exhibition, with the closing date set at 3 October 2011. To find out more, visit the official website or call 1800 924 362 or from Northern Ireland 0800 917 1.