Launched in 1998, the Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions (PRTLI) has invested €865 million to date into strengthening national research capabilities via investment in human and physical infrastructure. Based over four cycles, the ultimate aim of the programme is to propel Ireland toward establishing an international profile as a premier location for carrying out world class research and development. The programme supports research in humanities, science, technology and the social sciences, including business and law.
UCD was awarded funding in PRTLI Cycle 4 through the following major programmes:
Inspire – Integrated NanoScience Platform for Ireland INSPIRE (formally known as NANOTEIRE) is a consortium of all Irish third level institutions with leading research capability in nanoscience and nanotechnology. INSPIRE was funded under PRTLI Cycle 4 to the level of €31.6m - the largest funding allocation made to a national consortium.
Humanities Serving Irish Society (HSIS) Funded under PRTLI Cycle 4, the Humanities Serving Irish Society (HSIS) initiative is committed to building a national platform for the coordination and dissemination of humanities research, teaching and training, which is centrally coordinated by the Royal Irish Academy. The HSIS comprises multiple collaborative research and training clusters and UCD leads the John Hume Institute for Global Irish Studies.
Clinician Scientist Fellowship Programme – MMI Under PRTLI Cycle 4, funding was awarded for a Clinician Scientist Fellowship Programme (CSFP) in translational medical research to be coordinated by Molecular Medicine Ireland. The objective of the CSFP is to train the next generation of clinician scientists (academic medical leaders) with the unique and specialised knowledge essential to fulfil Ireland’s research needs in translation medicine.
Irish Food and Health Research Alliance (IFHRA)
The IFHRA is an alliance of universities and research institutes on the island of Ireland with a strategic commitment to research in the area of food and health. IFHRA is funded by the HEA under PRTLI Cycle 4.
Irish Social Science Data Archive (ISSDA)
The Irish Social Science Data Archive was established under PRTLI Cycle 4 within the auspices of the UCD Geary Institute. ISSDA fills a long recognised need in Ireland as it holds an ever-increasing quantity of machine-readable data from surveys and official statistics (such as the Census) and makes them readily available to users in the academic, public and commercial sectors.
National Graduate Enhancement Programme in (Bio)pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences
The National Graduate Enhancement Programme (NGEP) in (Bio)pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, funded in PRTLI Cycle 4, aims to address a national crisis in manpower in (Bio)pharmaceutical Sciences. It aims to do so by providing 4th Level graduate students with high quality training in a structured PhD programme. UCD leads the collaborative initiative which brings together TCD, DCU, UCC, QUB and the RCSI.
