The Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) was a major research initiative co-funded by Atlantic and the Irish government in order to end the mass exodus of researchers whose work could not be supported by Irish universities. Through five cycles, Atlantic invested €178 million ($247.5 million) to fund the PRTLI through 2015. Thanks to this initiative, all seven Irish universities and the Royal College of Surgeons now have state-of-the-art buildings and equipment and compete for public research grants.