Topeka ? Higher-education officials Wednesday reported increases in research funding and said plans for three new research facilities would further enhance funding opportunities.

Reggie Robinson, president and chief executive officer of the Kansas Board of Regents, said funded research at Kansas University, Kansas State and Wichita State was “exceptionally strong and positive.”

The research funding was from a mix of federal, private and industrial grants, Robinson said.

Research at Kansas University increased during the past fiscal year by 8.4 percent, from $224 million to $243 million, Robinson said. Research funding has increased at KU for six straight years and more than doubled since 1995.

Kansas State University reported an increase in research funding from $171 million to $177 million, and Wichita State saw an 18 percent increase to $30 million.

“Even with the success that has been achieved, I know that each of those institutions wants to do even better,” Robinson told the House Appropriations Committee.

He said passage last year of legislation to issue up to $120 million in bonds for the construction of new research facilities at KU, KSU and WSU would help the state attract more research dollars.

Robinson said the increase in research funding enhanced the state’s economy and put students “at the cutting edge of their peer groups.”

Clay Blair, chairman of the corporation that is overseeing development of those facilities, said the projects were in various stages of planning.

The projects include a biomedical research facility at KU Medical Center, a food safety and bioterrorism building at Kansas State, and expansion of the aviation engineering complex at Wichita State.

“We are very early in the process, but we are off and running,” said Blair, a former regents chairman who last session pushed for approval of the research bond bill.

Appropriations Chairman Melvin Neufeld, R-Ingalls, said he was pleased with Blair’s report. “Looks like we’re getting off to a good start,” Neufeld said.