Memorandum of Understanding strengthens UK-Ireland research and innovation collaboration
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the UK’s national funding agency for research and innovation, and Research Ireland, Ireland’s national competitive research and innovation development agency, have marked a new stage in their cooperation, with the announcement of a Memorandum of Understanding to underpin partnership on existing and new activities.
The new agreement, announced to coincide with the second UK-Ireland Summit taking place in Cork, enables further collaboration on research areas that are critical to technological innovation and economic growth.
The MoU supports a growing collaboration between UKRI and Research Ireland, which will support researchers to work together in key areas. These include telecommunications, advanced materials and quantum technologies, and a new creative industries programme launched this year.
It provides an overarching agreement through which the two organisations can work together on further cooperative activities in the future. It supports the UK and Irish governments’ ambition for closer UK-Ireland research collaboration while also supporting economic growth through research and innovation and maximising co-investment.
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.
And 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.
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.
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.
Welcoming the MoU announcement, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, said:
Increasing international connectivity in research and innovation activity is an area which I have focused on within my ministry. This Memorandum of Understanding between Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) strengthens an already close relationship between our two research systems and creates a clear framework for deeper collaboration. It will enable our researchers and institutions to work together more easily in areas of shared interest. International partnerships are essential to building a research and innovation system that delivers impact – supporting enterprise, attracting talent and investment, and ensuring that ideas developed in our universities and research centres can translate into economic and societal benefit. By strengthening cooperation with UKRI, we are creating the basis for new opportunities through which Irish researchers can collaborate at scale and ensuring that Ireland continues to play an active role in the global research community.
Photo Caption: Pictured (l-r): UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer; CEO Research Ireland, Dr Diarmuid O’Brien; UKRI International Champion and Arts and Humanities Research Council Executive Chair, Prof. Christopher Smith; and Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD.
