Ireland’s universities are at the centre of efforts to tackle the challenges facing Irish society. From housing to health, technology to disability, IUA universities are turning research into real solutions that make a difference to people’s lives.
In the five sections below are examples of the research being carried out across IUA universities in direct support of the Programme for Government’s priority areas. Each section highlights specific pieces of work from our member universities, showing how Irish university research is addressing the challenges that matter most to people across the country.
HOUSING & INFRASTRUCTURE
TECHNOLOGY
PHARMA & MED TECH
BIOECONOMY
DISABILITY
The Challenge
Ireland is facing real and pressing challenges. We need more homes built faster, and infrastructure that can stand up to increasingly extreme weather. We need to keep pace with rapid advances in technology and artificial intelligence, and make sure those advances work for everyone. Our farming and food sector needs to become more sustainable without leaving rural communities behind. And too many people with disabilities still face barriers to education, employment and everyday life.
These are not simple problems with quick fixes. They require sustained effort, long-term investment and the kind of knowledge and research capacity that only our universities can provide.
The Solution
IUA universities are already doing this work. Researchers across all seven member institutions are developing practical, evidence-based solutions to the issues that matter most to people in Ireland. They are working directly with government, industry, communities and healthcare providers to make sure that research does not stay in the lab but translates into real change.