THE GOVERNMENT has announced funding of more than €4.7 million to encourage collaborative research between higher education institutions in Ireland and their counterparts in the developing world.
The announcement marks the second round of funding to support the programme of strategic co-operation between Irish Aid, the Government's overseas development division, and higher education and research institutes, which was launched in December 2006.
The programme has a budget of €20.4 million over five years.
Dublin Institute of Technology, Dundalk Institute of Technology and Trinity College Dublin received funding under this round. Smaller networking grants were awarded to University Of Limerick, Kimmage Development Studies Centre, Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, NUI Maynooth and the National College of Art and Design.
The funding will go to initiatives on water and sustainable development, human rights, education, health, HIV/Aids and food security. Announcing it, Minister for Overseas Development Peter Power praised the level of interest in and commitment to development co-operation within the higher education sector. "This funding will support collaborative partnerships between Irish universities and colleges and their counterparts in developing countries. Together they will work to develop solutions to some of the underlying causes of global poverty."
He said the Irish Aid programme would benefit greatly from such partnerships. The collaborative research would also build on the State's "academic and professional expertise in respect of development policy and practice".
The proposals were recommended for funding by a panel of experts in development research. The Higher Education Authority administers the funding.