Celebrating Global Excellence: INORMS Honours TU Dublin’s Dr John Donovan at Landmark Congress in Madrid
The International Network of Research Management Societies (INORMS) has honoured Dr John Donovan, Head of Research at TU Dublin, with the prestigious INORMS Award for Excellence in Research Management Leadership during the INORMS Congress Madrid 2025. The award recognises individuals who have demonstrated exceptional international leadership and made lasting contributions to the global research management profession.
Dr Donovan was presented with the award by Professor Emilia Afonso Nhalevilo, Rector of Pungue University, Mozambique, President of SARIMA (Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association), and current President of the INORMS Council. The award honoured Dr Donovan’s sustained commitment to advancing the profession and fostering international collaboration in research management. The INORMS Award for Excellence is presented biennially by the INORMS Council and reflects a commitment to recognising excellence, impact, and service in the research and innovation community worldwide.
Dr Donovan commented:
Our premise is that inclusive technology starts with participatory processes and that marginalised users are too often excluded from the design and decision-making stages, leading to inaccessible tools, biased data and flawed AI that reinforce inequality.
The 2025 Congress was a landmark event for INORMS, attracting 2,200 research management professionals from around the world, including a strong delegation of 110 participants from Ireland. Dr Donovan also chaired the INORMS 2025 Congress Programme Committee, which delivered a dynamic programme featuring 460 speakers from 69 countries, spanning nine professional themes over two days.
In a significant milestone for Irish research management, this Congress marked the first time all three Irish professional research associations were represented on the international stage:
- Irish Research Management Professionals Association (IRMPA)
- NI Research Professionals Association (NIRPA)
- All-Island Research Excellence Network (AIREN)
In another success story for TU Dublin came as Aideen O’Byrne, Research Post Award Lead, was awarded the European Certificate in Research Management, a rigorous, accredited two-year postgraduate programme during the Congress.
INORMS continues to strengthen global collaboration among research managers and administrators. Through events like the Madrid Congress, it enables the sharing of best practices, cross-border learning, and a united voice for advancing research ecosystems worldwide.