University College Dublin signs Memorandum of Understanding with Queen’s to strengthen collaboration
Posted 6 April, 2022
A new Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between University College Dublin and (opens in a new window)Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) to strengthen collaboration between both universities.
The new partnership will enhance cooperation in research and innovation, with the aim of co-developing solutions to shared global challenges in areas such as climate and sustainability, energy, and food and agriculture, as well as in healthcare and cancer, and manufacturing and digital technologies.
Each institution will also explore opportunities for collaboration in emerging areas of expertise, and in academic and postgraduate student mobility.
“This agreement formalises a significant and close partnership between the two institutions and expresses our ambition to jointly contribute our expertise to co-develop solutions to shared global challenges,” said (opens in a new window)Professor Orla Feely, UCD Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact.
“UCD looks forward to participating in future all-island and international funding programmes with Queen’s University Belfast, together with other Higher Education and industry partners, which will have transformative impacts for citizens and support talent for the jobs of the future on the Island of Ireland.”
QUB Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Emma Flynn said: “Working together to advance cooperation, academic exchanges and research is a positive and important way to blend our expertise for the benefit of society as a whole.
“The enhanced connectivity delivered to our universities and communities through these projects will ensure that our cutting-edge research continues to make a real difference to our society.
Adding: “This is an exciting time for Queen’s as we lead on the delivery of three Belfast Region City Deal Innovation Centres in advanced manufacturing, clinical research and secure, connected digital technologies. Linking at scale into UK and all-Island networks is vital to the success of these centres and we greatly value research partnerships with organisations like UCD to help us create global impact where it truly matters.”
Research and innovation delegates from UCD and Queen's together at Queen's Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology in Belfast for the signing of the historic MoU between the two universities
Queen’s and UCD recently were successful in 10 jointly led proposals under the Higher Education Authority’s North-South Research Programme funded through the Irish Government’s Shared Island Fund in areas including the All-island Vaccine Research and Training Alliance and the All-Island Cancer Research Institute, as well as projects in healthcare, social justice, creative arts and the bio-economy.
All-island Vaccine Research and Training Alliance led by UCD (opens in a new window)Associate Professor Siobhán McClean along with Professor Miguel Valvano, from QUB, draws on shared expertise in infection, immunology, pharmacy and psychology, with the goal of developing better vaccines to prevent difficult-to-treat bacterial infections.
The All-Island Cancer Research Institute, led by QUB Professor Mark Lawler and (opens in a new window)Professor William Gallagher, from UCD, is designed to be an unparalleled opportunity for the universities to work together to combat a disease that will affect one-in-two people on this island during their lifetime.
Both institutions are co-leading other networks with other HEI partners in Food Integrity (FOOD-I,the All-Island Food Integrity Initiative) and in Climate and Biodiversity (the All-Island Climate and Biodiversity Research Network) involving industry, and other key stakeholders across the island of Ireland.
By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations (with materials from Caroline Byrne, UCD Research and Innovation)
