Back row (l-r): Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern TD; Employment and Learning Minister, Maria Eagle MP Front row (l-r): UCD President, Dr Hugh Brady; QUB President and Vice Chancellor, Prof Peter Gregson; TCD Provost, Dr John Hegarty
The university presidents of Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), University College Dublin (UCD) and Trinity College Dublin (TCD) signed an all-Ireland collaborative research partnership between universities North and South at a special reception hosted by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Dermot Ahern TD, on 24 April 2007.
Building on a new collaborative accord between the two Dublin institutions, UCD President, Dr Hugh Brady and TCD Provost, Dr John Hegarty, each signed bilateral collaborative agreements with QUB President and Vice Chancellor, Professor Peter Gregson. The agreements will promote and consolidate cooperation in education and research between the three universities.
“By strengthening cross-border collaboration in research and education in this way, we can help put the island at the forefront of the global knowledge economy and deliver real benefits to citizens both North and South,” said the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Dermot Ahern TD, welcoming the unique collaborative partnership agreements.
One of the key areas of collaboration between QUB, UCD and TCD concerns biomedical sciences and biomedical informatics - with a focus on experimental cancer medicine, infection and immunity; arts and human sciences, including socio-economics and Irish studies; and physical sciences, including nanoscience.
“These collaborations are an important step in developing a world class research infrastructure that brings together recognised excellence in both jurisdictions,” said Queen’s University Belfast President and Vice Chancellor, Professor Peter Gregson. “The re-establishment of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the developing North-South partnerships need to be further reinforced by greater co-ordination of investment in the research base of this island. Full participation by all the island's research institutions in future programmes is now achievable.”
Under the agreement, UCD and QUB will also collaborate on clean technologies; environment and health with particular emphasis on food and nutrition; wireless communication and biomedical informatics.
“The pooling of intellect across the universities presents us with a genuine opportunity to attain critical mass in areas where we can demonstrate centres of excellence in the international arena,” said the President of UCD, Dr Hugh Brady.
The three institutions will also work to develop further complementary research strategies and joint postgraduate school programmes.
