Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless TD has welcomed the exceptional number of Expressions of Interest applications received for Global Talent Ireland, a critical initiative in the current global environment to attract outstanding international researchers to Irish higher education institutions and public research bodies.
The Expression of Interest stage of the two-stage application process closed on 28th August, with 174 applications having been received. The indications are that the response to the initiative spans diverse disciplines and countries, with Minister Lawless stating:
In terms of geographical reach, 86 Expressions of Interest have been received from the US, 34 from the UK, and the remaining applications come from a broad spread of countries. Almost 50 Irish researchers currently carrying out research abroad submitted Expressions of Interest, highlighting the potential of the initiative to facilitate the return to Ireland of high-achieving and high-potential Irish researchers.
Speaking after the Cabinet meeting today, Minister Lawless said:
“Our investment in research is fundamentally an investment in people. Global Talent Ireland represents an essential component of our effort to build a future defined by talent, collaboration and global leadership.
“We are transforming intellectual capacity into economic prosperity and social understanding, strengthening Ireland’s position in the global knowledge economy through research-driven innovation and entrepreneurship.
“This programme complements our existing supports for domestic researchers, and the investment required to attract excellent researchers will add to the knowledge and skills base within the Irish system, driving the further development of a sustainable pipeline of research excellence.”
Research Ireland, which is managing the programme on behalf of the Department, is conducting a thorough review of the Expressions of Interest received in order to identify outstanding applicants to submit a full proposal for funding consideration. While there is a commitment to maintaining an efficient timeline, it is also important that robust procedures are implemented to support Global Talent Ireland’s success, with the next stage of the application process encompassing a rigorous peer review assessment of the proposals as well as an interview.
In order to move rapidly and fully grasp the opportunity ahead, the initiative has a preliminary budget of €8 million per annum, with scoping for additional funding to be sought as it scales up.
No comments:
Post a Comment