Research Ireland strengthens research ties with UK Research and Innovation with memorandum of understanding

Collaborations to encompass range of projects in science and the humanities

Life

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer; Dr Diarmuid O’Brien, Research Ireland; Prof. Christopher Smith, UKRI and Arts and Humanities Research Council; and An Taoiseach Micheál Martin

Research Ireland, Ireland’s national competitive research and innovation development agency and the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) have marked a new stage in their cooperation with the announcement of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to underpin partnership on existing and new activities.

The MoU supports a growing collaboration between UKRI and Research Ireland in areas such as telecommunications, advanced materials and quantum technologies, and a new creative industries programme launched this year.

Through the MoU, there will be continued cooperation on the existing lead agency agreement between the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Research Ireland.

The EPSRC-Research Ireland Joint Funding of Research Programme includes collaborations on areas such as ultra-low power electronic devices and complex wireless networks. Furthermore, the UK-Ireland Collaboration in the Creative Economy, led by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Research Ireland, aims to build and consolidate new partnerships between creative industries researchers, industry experts and policymakers in Ireland and the UK.

Research Ireland CEO, Dr Diarmuid O’Brien, said: “Research Ireland is delighted to agree this MoU with UKRI, which paves the way for both an extension and expansion of our partnership arrangements. The MoU is aligned with our strategy – launched earlier this month – which is structured around the three interconnected impact themes of talent, economy and society. We look forward to the research collaboration, knowledge exchange, capacity-building and other cooperative activities that will be facilitated by the agreement.”

UKRI International Champion and AHRC Executive Chair Professor Christopher Smith said: “From the creative industries, design and advanced communications to vaccines and biomedical research, collaborations between the UK and Ireland are addressing the major challenges and opportunities of our time.

“This Memorandum of Understanding deepens the already strong ties between the UK and Ireland’s research and innovation sectors, enhancing our ability to work together to advance our knowledge and deliver growth for the benefit of everyone in society.”

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