The Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) has welcomed the publication of the new strategy by Research Ireland, describing it as an important moment for the future of research and innovation across Ireland’s higher education sector.
The strategy was officially launched at an event addressed by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless, and An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin. IFUT said that such visible engagement at the highest levels of Government sends a strong signal about the strategic importance of research to Ireland’s social, cultural and economic development.
However, IFUT has emphasised that this political commitment must now translate into tangible improvements for researchers working in Ireland’s universities.
Researchers Must Be Central, Not Peripheral
Speaking following the launch, IFUT General Secretary Frank Jones said that researchers must be placed firmly at the heart of Ireland’s research ecosystem, not simply as deliverers of outputs, but as central stakeholders whose working conditions, career pathways and academic freedoms are essential to research excellence.
“World-class research depends on world-class researchers. That means secure employment pathways, fair and transparent career progression, proper recognition of doctoral and postdoctoral researchers, and meaningful engagement with those who represent them.”
IFUT has consistently argued that sustainable research capacity cannot be built on precarious employment or fragmented career structures. While Ireland’s research community has grown significantly in recent decades, contributing to solutions in areas such as climate transition, public health, digital transformation and cultural development, many researchers continue to face insecurity in contract duration, funding continuity and long-term career prospects.
Dialogue and Structural Reform Are Essential
The union stressed that the success of the new strategy will depend not only on funding allocations and performance metrics, but on structured and genuine engagement between funders, employers and representative bodies.
IFUT expressed hope that the strategy will open the door to real and meaningful dialogue between those who represent researchers across higher education and their employers and funders.
“Strategic ambition must be matched by structural reform. If we are serious about positioning Ireland as a global research leader, then researchers must be treated as core contributors to national development, not as temporary project staff dependent on short funding cycles.”
Addressing the Wider Context: Accommodation and Recruitment
IFUT also highlighted the wider pressures facing the higher education sector, particularly the ongoing accommodation crisis in and around Ireland’s universities. The cost and availability of housing are deterring both students and early-career academics from taking up opportunities in Irish institutions.
The union reiterated its call for a whole-of-government approach to address accommodation as a matter of urgency, noting that research excellence cannot be sustained if talented researchers are unable to afford to live and work in proximity to their institutions.
A Commitment to Constructive Engagement
IFUT reaffirmed its commitment to constructive engagement with Research Ireland, Government and higher education institutions to ensure that the strategy delivers sustainable improvements for researchers and the wider academic community.
The union will continue to advocate for:
- Secure and sustainable research career pathways
- Recognition of doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers as integral members of the academic workforce
- Protection of academic freedom
- Meaningful collective engagement with representative unions
- A research system that is internationally competitive and socially responsible
IFUT looks forward to working with all stakeholders to ensure that the implementation of the Research Ireland Strategy strengthens Ireland’s research base while promoting decent work and recognising the central role of researchers in shaping our shared future.