Collaboration between US multinationals and academia is putting Ireland at the leading edge of research excellence globally. Key work in areas including ICT, pharma, medical devices, material science, the environment and artificial intelligence is ensuring that Ireland is punching above its weight in this key area.
It is also having a positive impact on the broader Irish economy. According to Research Ireland, studies estimate that every euro invested in public research yields at least €0.20 for every year the research is relevant.
Significantly, while the overall level of investment that Ireland puts into research and innovation in general is on the low side compared to other states, the level of investment that comes from the multinational sector is higher as a percentage than most other countries. Typically elsewhere around two thirds comes from the private sector and the rest from government; in Ireland around 80 per cent of research investment comes from the private sector.
Collaboration between the multinational sector and the academic world takes many forms. However, some of the most significant work is being done in the so-called research-centre model, developed by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) – which was reconstituted as Research Ireland in August, with a broader remit that includes building on the important work done by its predecessor.
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The research-centre model is both a key part of the research system and a weapon in the armoury of Ireland Inc in terms of attracting US multinationals into Ireland, says Ciarán Seoighe, deputy CEO of Research Ireland.
“Our research centres are attractive for multinationals,” says Seoighe. “We work closely with our colleagues in IDA Ireland. As part of the process of engaging with MNCs we will assist by showcasing through the research centres what is available to them when they come to Ireland, and they can see first hand the skills, knowledge, collaboration and engagement levels that are there. That’s quite a differentiator for Ireland. No other country has anything quite so joined up and our interconnected nature is part of our secret sauce in terms of being attractive to US multinationals.”
The research centres are academically led and form a tactical response to a strategic challenge identified, Seoighe explains. The collaboration, he adds, involves leveraging the best talent available in Ireland.
“We’re small in Ireland and can’t compete head to head with a major global academic institution,” he says. “What we have in Ireland, however, is distributed excellence. In any one field or discipline, if we work in a collaborative way involving a number of academic institutions, collectively we often have a cohort of people who can go toe to toe with anyone in the world, so that changes everything.”
Research is these collaborations is broad in nature rather than following narrow commercial agendas, something that appeals to both parties. The academic institutions are fulfilling their remit in terms of discovery while the multinationals have someone sharing the risks and investment involved in pure research.
Terrain AI is one example of a such a project. It involves collaboration between a wide group of academic researchers and other bodies in Ireland to gain a better understanding of carbon emissions, which may help contribute in time to better climate change intervention solutions. The project, which is looking at how to capture and use carbon emission information smartly from different land types, using drones, air-quality sensors and other measuring instruments at various sites, has been jointly funded by Microsoft Ireland and SFI and involves collaboration between Teagasc, Trinity College Dublin, UCD, DCU and the University of Limerick.
For the academic partners, as well as the obvious benefits of funding, access to know-how, people, equipment and raw materials from the multinational sector and others, can enhance their research capabilities, says Seoighe.
“Papers published in collaboration with industry partners often have a higher citation rating – your paper is much more likely to be cited by other researchers if you are working with big industry players,” he says. “That’s important, as your knowledge is distributed more widely and is more influential as a consequence.”
The collaborations also link researchers into where their future careers might be. SFI has been supporting around 3,000 PhDs at any one time in recent years; most will not go on to secure academic roles, Seoighe explains: “Around 90 per cent will go on to the private and public sectors. It opens up other avenues and gives them views of what a good career can look like.”
Companies in the pharmaceutical sector have a history of close collaboration with academia, says Stephen Flanagan, associate vice-president, engineering, at Eli Lilly.
“We also have a strong history of PHD sponsorship, funding projects in part or full,” says Flanagan. “Maintaining strong links with third level is critical to our success. The technical capabilities and depth of graduates in Ireland is one of the unique selling points of the country. Building a strong company brand and connection with colleges is important to continue to attract this top technical talent to the industry.”
Research collaboration between academia and multinationals also extends beyond scientific and technical areas, says Linda Barron, CEO of the Irish Centre for Business Excellence (ICBE), a membership organisation that represents many multinationals.
“Since 2018 ICBE’s Skillnet Networks have been working with Limerick’s Kemmy Business School and US multinationals on a Future of Work research series,” says Barron. “We have commissioned and funded studies in areas from the impact of AI and automation on the services sector to sustainable leadership, and our most recent study looked at why potential managers were expressing reluctance to step up to leadership roles in their organisation.”