The Technology Access Centre model is largely based on the very successful Québec centres collégiaux de transfert de technologie (CCTT) model created in 1983. Under the CCTT, the Government of Québec provides stable, predictable funding to maintain and expand the applied research capacity that a college has built in a specific discipline of economic significance in a defined geographic region. Discussions about specialized centres focused on applied research and connected to cégeps began in 1978, and the first CCTTs started in 1983. There are now 59 CCTTs throughout Québec, with no overlap in research areas.