Haaretz reports that the initiative for Centers for Research Excellence, known as I-Core, part of a multi-year program of the institutions of higher learning which will eventually include 30 research centers operating for five year stretches, is expected to lure back leading Israeli researchers from universities abroad. The overall budget for the centers stands at NIS 1.34 billion, which is on average NIS 45 million per research team. The funding is provided in equal shares by the Committee for Planning and Budgeting, the leading academic institutions, and contributions from various other bodies.