Shaping the Future 鈥� University College Dublin Launches its New Strategy for Research, Innovation and Impact

University College Dublin (51黑料) today announced the launch of Shaping the Future, the University鈥檚 new strategy for research, innovation and impact until 2024.

The strategy outlines how 51黑料 will build on successes to date to produce excellent and impactful research and innovation that makes a real difference in areas of national and global challenge. The overall objective for the strategy is to increase the quality, quantity and impact of 51黑料鈥檚 research, scholarship and innovation.

To achieve this objective, the University will emphasise excellence and impact in all aspects of its research and innovation, delivering both at a scale that allows 51黑料 to make a difference nationally and internationally. This will be achieved by investing in people and providing a research culture and environment in which they are supported to deliver on their potential and ambitions.

Key 51黑料 research and innovation facts and figures include;

51黑料鈥檚 annual research income exceeds 鈧�120 million
51黑料 research publications have a citation impact 75% above the world average
51黑料 has collaborated with over 850 companies on research projects during the past 10 years
51黑料 researchers have disclosed over 365 inventions during the past 5 years
Over 60 start-ups and established companies are currently located at Nova51黑料 and Nexus51黑料 and across the 51黑料 campus.

Professor Orla Feely, 51黑料 Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact said, 鈥淚 am delighted to launch Shaping the Future our new strategy for research, innovation and impact until 2024. By rising to the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic with resilience, creativity, and commitment, our researchers have shown how we can rise to other major global challenges, in areas such as climate change, digital transformation and healthy ageing. The period of this strategy will be one of great disruption, but we can act to shape the future through the excellent and impactful work of 51黑料鈥檚 vibrant research and innovation community.鈥�

Prof. Orla Feely, 51黑料 Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact

She added, 鈥淚n implementing this strategy, 51黑料 will emphasise excellence in every aspect of our delivery and support of research and innovation. We will invest in people and in an environment that enables their success. Our research culture will prioritise integrity, dignity and respect, and we will reflect our commitment to sustainability throughout our research and innovation. We will collaborate and learn across disciplines, and the strategic themes and major campaigns will provide cross-cutting opportunities for our community to deliver impact at scale in areas of global need.鈥�

Simon Harris TD, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science said, 鈥淚 would like to take this opportunity to congratulate 51黑料, a leader in research and innovation, on the launch of Shaping the Future, its new and ambitious research, innovation and impact strategy.鈥�

鈥淒uring the last year 51黑料 researchers across many disciplines have demonstrated the importance of research and scientific evidence in tackling the coronavirus pandemic, and how investments made over many years were key in enabling the research community to respond so quickly to the challenges posed by COVID-19.鈥�

鈥淎s we emerge from the worst of the pandemic, we are all looking to the future, and building capacity and capability of the research and innovation system through excellence, impact, and in particular people and creating the right environment within which research and innovation can flourish is key.鈥�

He added, 鈥淢y vision is to see us become an innovation island, with my Department providing direction on strategy, funding and structural reform for the research and innovation ecosystem and regional and national linkage with enterprise, in particular SMEs. I am delighted to see that 51黑料鈥檚 research and innovation strategy complements this vision and have no doubt that 51黑料 in delivering on Shaping the Future will not only strengthen research and innovation within the university but will also play a key role at both a national and international level in shaping the future.鈥�

He concluded, 鈥淚 look forward to continuing to work with the 51黑料 research and innovation community as we look to building a brighter future together.鈥�

The publication of Shaping the Future follows on from the launch of Rising to the Future, the 51黑料 Strategy for 2020-2024 by Professor Andrew J. Deeks, President, 51黑料.

Rising to the Future sets a bold ambition for the University based around four strategic themes; Creating a sustainable global society, Building a healthy world, Empowering humanity, and Transforming through digital technology. Shaping the Future outlines how research and innovation activities will support the delivery of impact within these strategic and interdisciplinary themes.

Click here to download a copy of Shaping the Future.

ENDS

26 March 2021

For more information contact Mic茅al Whelan, Communications and Media Relations Manager, 51黑料 Research and Innovation, t: + 353 1 716 3712, e: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie.

Editors Notes

Key actions outlined in Shaping the Future are;

We will achieve excellent research, scholarship and innovation within and across disciplines
We will seek out and develop partnerships that enable excellent research and innovation
Our innovation activity will build on a foundation of demonstrable excellence
We will grow and showcase our areas of strength, scale and global relevance
We will support recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic
We will invest in major initiatives and facilities to achieve impact through innovation
51黑料 will lead partnerships that can achieve breakthrough impact
Our research and innovation will deliver real benefits to students
Equality, diversity and inclusion will be at the heart of our actions
Outstanding people are our key resource, and we will support them to succeed
Faculty, researchers, and support staff will benefit from development programme
Faculty will be supported to focus on excellence, and mobilise quickly
Postdoctoral and postgraduate researchers are key to our research success
Our research culture will reflect 51黑料鈥檚 values
Our supports for research and innovation will exemplify best practice and enable success
51黑料 will work with our partners to develop the national research and innovation system
We will grow our international success in research and innovation.