Danish and Irish Research Managers Collaborate on Innovation and Best Practices in Five-Day Study Tour
A first of its kind cross-European partnership, aiming to strengthen collaboration in research management, administration and policy, took place on 24th- 28th November across institutions in Cork and Dublin.
Led by University College Cork (UCC), in close partnership with Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin), Trinity College Dublin (TCD), and All-Island of Ireland RMA networks, the 5-day programme highlighted Irish and Danish perspectives on institutional transformation and the future of the research management profession.
The programme brought together participants from DARMA (Danish Association of Research Managers and Administrators), the Irish Research Managers and Professionals Association (IRMPA), All-Island Research Excellence Network (AIREN), and the Northern Ireland Research Professionals Network (NIRPN), alongside senior representatives from government, leading academic institutions, and EU research initiatives.
The curated itinerary featured institutional site visits, panel sessions, case studies, and cultural exchanges, promoting shared learning on research policy, open science, digital transformation, and the evolving skills framework for research managers.
Highlights included:
- Interactive workshops on research grant management, HR Excellence in Research, and digital badge initiatives.
- Networking events aimed at fostering peer collaboration and building resilient research ecosystems.
- World Café sessions involving discussion of competency frameworks, network engagement approaches, and professional recognition.
The Study Tour is supported by the European Commission and reflects the ongoing commitment of member states to the development of research management expertise and EU-wide collaboration in research and innovation. A key driver in this commitment is the recently launched inaugural Competence Framework for Research Managers (RM Comp). Led by Mary Kate O’Regan from UCC’s Department of People and Culture, and coordinator of the Horizon European project CARDEA, RM Comp provides an international standard of the career architecture for the professional development and recognition of the role of research manager.
Lars Thuesen, the Danish Ambassador to Ireland, said:
This study tour demonstrates that the open dialogue among all participants contributes to a better understanding of the challenges in research for the benefit of our institutions, countries but most importantly for research itself. Horizon Europe will be influenced by the need for Europe to step up on innovation, security, and defence, meeting the challenges from the changing geopolitical reality. This Danish-Irish collaboration between colleagues from diverse backgrounds is important in terms of knowledge transfer and exchanging best practices, in advance of the next EU framework programme for research and innovation.
Dr. David O’Connell, Director of Research Support at UCC said:
Research Managers and Administrators are critical to a healthy and optimally functioning Research and Innovation ecosystem. UCC is fully committed to advancing research management excellence through international collaboration, particularly in the context of the European Research Area and EU Framework Programmes. It is in this context that we are delighted to welcome the DARMA delegation to UCC and to Ireland - to share institutional experiences, learning insights and best practice to position our respective researcher communities to be successful in the next Framework programme.
Jan Andersen, Senior Executive Advisor at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) said:
Being able to expand the collaboration and learning experiences among colleagues is vital to be up to speed on the challenges meeting research: By sharing insights and best practices, we contribute to having our researchers and research teams on the forefront – and with the upcoming European research programme, Horizon Europe cross-European knowledge-sharing is the key to success.”
Sinéad McGinley, Chair of the All-Island Research Excellence Network (AIREN), said
As a cross-border network, AIREN recognises the importance of network integration and partnership development to advance research excellence. The DARMA delegation visit provided an opportunity for us to share and compare capacity skills building, membership engagement, and the professional development of research managers across three jurisdictions - Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Denmark.
Dr John Donovan, Head of Research Support Services in TU Dublin, welcomed the visitors saying
Building a research management profession has been a long-term goal of RMA associations across the world. Key to this has been the ability of these professionals to interact with colleagues across Europe and the wider world. This visit is part of that process, and I wish it every success. It is particularly important as DARMA is the oldest Association in Europe visiting three of the youngest and validating the journey Irish RMAs are on to validate their profession.
Doris Alexander, Associate Director of European Engagement, Trinity College Dublin said:
We are delighted to welcome the DARMA delegation to Trinity College Dublin as part of the Ireland RMA Study Tour 2025. As a member of the League of European Research Universities (LERU), the COIMBRA Group and CHARM-EU European Universities alliance, Trinity is deeply committed to advancing research excellence and fostering international collaboration in research management and administration. This visit offers a unique opportunity to share our institutional experiences in preparation for the next Framework Programme, FP10.
About DARMA
DARMA (Danish Association of Research Managers and Administrators) is a leading network for research management professionals in Denmark, fostering international best practices and policy sharing across the EU.