The initiative will support higher education institutions across the country as they strengthen research and innovation.
Leaders of the recently announced (16 October) Shared Island Digital Creative Industries Innovation Programme have put out a call for potential applicants to submit their research and innovation projects.
The initiative has a budget of €10m, €6m of which came from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. The remaining €4m came from the Government’s Shared Island Fund.
The programme aims to support higher education institutions across Ireland as they strengthen their research and innovation capabilities. Running from 2027 to 2030 the allocated funding will be put towards developing cross-border partnerships, networks, expertise and infrastructure.
The application portal will open in the coming weeks and the deadline for applications is 12pm, 15 December of this year. The successful projects are expected to be selected and announced early next year.
Commenting on the initiative, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, TD said, “The Shared Island Digital Creative Industries Innovation Programme will create new opportunities for higher education institutions across the island to combine their expertise and develop ambitious research and innovation partnerships.
“Higher education institutions North and South have considerable expertise and research infrastructure in the digital creative industries. By bringing together their complementary capabilities, this programme will support collaboration at a greater scale and strengthen the island’s international position in these rapidly developing sectors.”
The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless, TD, explained that the programme will support economic growth and high-quality employment.
He added, “To realise that potential, we need to continue building the research expertise, innovation capacity and industry engagement of our higher education institutions.”
He added, it will complement other significant investments, such as the existing North/South Research Programme and the €750m INSPIRE Research Infrastructure and Talent Programme.
He said, “Together with our wider research and innovation initiatives, these programmes are building the expertise, partnerships and infrastructure needed to sustain an ambitious and internationally competitive research system.”
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