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TU Dublin Celebrates Landmark Year of Research, Innovation, and Global Impact in 2025

Published: Fri Dec 12 2025 - 13:39

R and I End of Year Header 2025

TU Dublin has had a landmark year of achievement across its research, innovation, and enterprise ecosystem, with 2025 delivering significant scientific breakthroughs, global recognition, strengthened research culture, and a major increase in funding. The University secured over €37 million in research and innovation funding, accelerating discovery, expanding international collaborations, and delivering real impact for society, industry, and communities across Ireland.

Engagement & Impact

TU Dublin strengthened its reputation as Ireland’s leading engaged research university, delivering cultural, community, and international impact through collaborative projects, public events, and outreach initiatives.

  • The Engaged Research Network piloted a new mentoring programme and delivered the Greenhouse for Engaged Research in Education, supporting projects co-designed with community partners.
  • TU Dublin celebrated researcher achievements through international recognition days and public engagement campaigns.
  • Roundtables with The Wheel and Men’s Health Forum led to a successful Research Ireland Pathways award, delivered in partnership with the Radiation & Environmental Science Centre (RESC).
  • International delegations strengthened global partnerships:
    • Hochschule Darmstadt - CoARA, open science, joint research
    • Henan University - PhD co-supervision and innovation collaboration
    • DARMA (Denmark) - research management and administration partnership
  • TU Dublin launched the “What is Engaged Research?” podcast, opening research conversations to the public.
  • The University delivered a full calendar of public events including hackathons, workshops, seminars, and book launches.
  • The 3rd Annual TU Dublin Research & Innovation Awards celebrated excellence across nine categories.
  • The first Research Impact Case Study Competition published nine new case studies showcasing societal, cultural, and economic benefits.
  • TU Dublin research was featured internationally at Magna Charta Observatory events in Dhaka and London.

 

Ethics & Integrity

The University deepened its commitment to responsible and transparent research through enhanced ethical processes, digital tools, and training for researchers at all career stages.

  • Over 240 ethics self-assessments and 118 committee reviews completed (AY 24/25).
  • Local faculty ethics committees expanded across the University.
  • New digital tools launched:
    • Consent Form Generator
    • Ethics Amendments Portal
  • Quarterly updates to the Guidelines for the Responsible Use of GenAI in Research.
  • Enhanced ethics training and support for postgraduate and early-career researchers.

 

Innovation

2025 marked a standout year for TU Dublin innovation, translating scientific breakthroughs in health, engineering, digital technologies, and sustainability into commercial and societal impact.

  • TU Dublin secured its first Enterprise Ireland Proof-of-Concept Award through CREST’s VISTA corrosion-protection technology.
  • Strong performance in the Annual Knowledge Transfer Survey, with significant increases in IP activity, licensing, and consultancy.
  • TU Dublin spin-out SM:ART expanded deployment of its infrastructure monitoring platform across Northern Ireland.
  • More than 100 enterprise RD&I collaborations were delivered through the CREST, MiCRA, and MET Technology Gateways.
  • Enterprise partners benefited from TU Dublin expertise in sustainable materials, coatings, advanced manufacturing, rapid prototyping, and environmental technologies.
  • Research breakthroughs in health, engineering, digital technologies, and sustainability directly fuelled innovation opportunities.

 

Postgraduate Research

TU Dublin’s postgraduate researchers contributed to major discoveries, earned international recognition, and advanced their global research engagement.

  • Awards included:
    • Digital Green Tech Award (Germany)
    • Best Poster – Photonics Ireland (PRC researcher Yiming Shen)
    • Audience Prize – Ma Thèse en 180 secondes
  • International placement at Hochschule Darmstadt.
  • Planning commenced for the European Spring School (Nice, 2026).
  • Postgraduates published widely across journals, conferences, and edited book collections.

 

Other Research Achievements

Across disciplines, TU Dublin researchers delivered high-impact outputs, global collaborations, and public engagement, reinforcing the University’s research excellence.

  • Collaborative work with Trinity College Dublin and Purdue University advanced next-generation electronics cooling research.
  • Researchers delivered high-impact outputs across oncology, spectroscopy, optics, engineering, education, wellbeing, and digital technologies.
  • Significant success in MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships.
  • TU Dublin hosted the International Albert Camus Society Conference.
  • Dr Frank Prendergast contributed expert analysis to the global Winter Solstice Sunrise livestream from Newgrange.
  • The Meet the Scientist schools programme reached 2,300+ students nationwide.
  • TU Dublin secured €1.3M EPA Research funding for environmental modelling and monitoring.

 

Research Support Services

Research Support Services strengthened infrastructure, funding success, compliance, and professional development, enabling researchers to achieve maximum impact.

  • Supported 621 funding applications in 2025 (+40% YoY).
  • Delivered advanced support in RDM, project management, and budget advisory services.
  • Facilitated PI development workshops across faculties.
  • Played a central role in establishing the Irish Research Management Professionals Association (IRMpA).
  • Strengthened international partnerships through delegations to Darmstadt, Henan University, and DARMA.

Common Services Unit (CSU)

  • Completed the full transition to PURE for research output and award management.
  • Launched researchprofiles.tudublin.ie, enhancing the visibility of TU Dublin expertise.
  • Delivered new digital training and research-support resources University-wide.

 

Research Hubs

TU Dublin’s Research Hubs foster interdisciplinary innovation, coordinating collaborative programmes that generate societal, cultural, and economic impact.

Digital Futures Research Hub

  • Held national leadership of the ARC Hub for ICT, hosted by TU Dublin.
  • Advanced Age-Friendly AI research.
  • Supported the Women in HPC Ireland network.
  • Oversaw national computing outreach through CSInc.

HEMS Research Hub

  • Contributed to the DTIF LIFT drone innovation project.
  • Supported the expansion of the SM:ART spin-out.
  • Secured major XPS and composites research infrastructure.
  • Strengthened sustainability-driven partnerships across materials, environmental science, and health.

 

Research Centres

TU Dublin’s Research Centres drive disciplinary excellence, producing breakthrough discoveries, advancing innovation, and delivering tangible societal benefits.

CSInc

  • Secured €1M HEA and €900k DES funding.
  • Received Best Paper awards and produced significant international publications.
  • Delivered national teacher training and computing outreach initiatives.

Centre for Sustainable Digital Technologies (CSDT)

  • Accessed Azure AI Foundry (11,000+ AI models).
  • Recruited five postdocs and a commercial lead.
  • Secured €1M+ in new AI funding.
  • Published across IEEE, Springer, and ECAI.

PEEI Group

  • Achieved postgraduate completions and international teaching exchanges.
  • Published research on wellbeing, emotional intelligence and education.

Photonics Research Centre (PRC)

  • Awarded €650k for cancer diagnostics research (led by Dr Olga Semenova).
  • Produced 6 journal papers, 9 conference papers, and 3 invited talks.
  • Launched a Joint Virtual Research Centre with Cardiff Metropolitan University.
  • Celebrated multiple postgraduate research awards.

Radiation & Environmental Science Centre (RESC)

  • Delivered major publications in oncology, spectroscopy, and toxicology.
  • Achieved success in MSCA Fellowships.
  • Hosted the ICES Working Group, strengthening global collaboration.

 

Research Groups

TU Dublin’s research groups continued to drive excellence across engineering, computing, creative arts, education, social sciences and health sciences, supporting publications, innovation, collaborations, and public engagement.

 

Enterprise Ireland Technology Gateways

TU Dublin’s Technology Gateways connect academic expertise with industry, accelerating innovation, commercialisation, and real-world solutions.

MiCRA Technology Gateway

  • Appointed a new Gateway Manager.
  • Expanded its PI network.
  • Completed 12 industry collaborations.

CREST Technology Gateway

  • Played leadership roles in the €3.8M DTIF LIFT drone-technology project.
  • Secured €2.41M Capital Equipment funding.
  • Delivered 80+ industry projects.
  • Advanced innovations through SPOTBlade, CLEERBlade, and VISTA PoC.
  • Supported sectors including aerospace, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing.

 

European & National Programmes

The University leads European and national research programmes, fostering collaborations, securing funding, and translating research into meaningful impact at home and abroad.

ARC Hub for ICT (Hosted by TU Dublin)

  • Established full operational and governance structures.
  • Delivered national roadshows engaging 300+ researchers.
  • Supported 22 ICT commercialisation projects across 10 universities.
  • Received 125 applications to its latest call.
  • Generated 100,000+ LinkedIn impressions and was featured in The Irish Times.

ARISE Programme

  • Engaged 80+ enterprises across the Eastern and Midlands Region.
  • Launched the Enterprise Engagement Programme.
  • Delivered the first ARISE Showcase, highlighting sector innovation.
  • Expanded communications and cross-sector engagement.

Horizon Europe

  • Supported MSCA Fellows across PRC, RESC and Engineering.
  • Contributed to SellSTEM.
  • Advanced the WIDERA early-career researcher ecosystem via the Research Engagement & Impact Office.

Global Collaboration

  • Partnerships expanded across Germany, China, Romania, Denmark, Czech Republic, and Saudi Arabia.
  • Research featured at major international events.

With record funding, expanded partnerships, outstanding postgraduate success, and national leadership in both ARISE and the ARC Hub for ICT, TU Dublin is well-positioned to amplify its impact across research, innovation, enterprise, and society. As 2026 begins, TU Dublin Research and Innovation will continue to play a leading role in shaping Ireland’s scientific, social, cultural, and economic future.