It is important for Ireland’s future that the finest research talent is retained and developed within the Irish research system.

Our early-career funding programmes provide the opportunity for individual researchers to formulate their own proposals and, if successful, win a scholarship or fellowship in their own name. The availability of individual research awards from early-career stage is an essential part of a healthy research ecosystem and a key driver of the development of independent careers. Our programmes also support the attraction of exceptional international researchers to Ireland.

 

Postgraduate funding and awards

Funding schemes available to scholars pursuing a postgraduate qualification:

• Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme – provides outstanding students with the opportunity to direct their own research at the early-career stage
• Enterprise Partnership Scheme (Postgraduate) – a unique national initiative linking excellent researchers to enterprise.
• Employment-Based Postgraduate Programme – provides students in all disciplines an opportunity to bring great research ideas into an Irish employment partner

As part of Innovation 2020, we are helping to develop a clear career structure for  researchers. Our policy statement on researcher career development outlines the Councils support for those funded through our awards to pursue diverse career paths and to establish themselves as independent researchers and thinkers.

 

Career Development Policy Statement

Postdoctoral funding and awards

Funding schemes available to scholars pursuing a postgraduate qualification:

• Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme – supports suitably qualified applicants in any discipline to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship at an eligible higher education institution in Ireland.
• Enterprise Partnership Scheme (Postdoctoral) – a unique national initiative linking excellent researchers to enterprise.
• CAROLINE –  The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND Collaborative Research Fellowships for a Responsive and Innovative Europe.

Supporting Awards available to Postgrads and Postdocs

As well as the provision of scholarships and fellowships, we encourage the further development of early-career researchers by providing opportunities for international engagement. These include:

• Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting Awards, – Supporting the next generation of leading scientists to attend the annual Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings
• Ulysses – a collaborative travel grant between Irish- and French-based researchers
• New Foundations – small agile research grants (subject to budget).

Further Information

The Bratislava Declaration of Young Researchers (BDYR) is written by young researchers and calls on member states and the European Commission (EC) to recognise the special role that young researchers play in the wider European research landscape. The The Irish Research Council organised a workshop on the implementation of this Declaration in Ireland in collaboration with Dr Shane Bergin (UCD), a co-author of BDYR. This document contains a summary of the roundtable discussions and suggestions that have the potential to aid in the implementation of the Declaration in Ireland.

 

Report of the workshop on implementing the Bratislava Declaration of Young Researchers in Ireland