New National Research and Innovation Strategy Consultation

The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is leading the development of a new National Research and Innovation Strategy. Such a strategy will be key in supporting the delivery of effective regional development in Ireland.

On this basis, the Northern and Western Regional Assembly has published a briefing note; the purpose of which is to highlight the importance of research and innovation to our region’s economy, provide our stakeholders with the latest trends on the region’s performance in terms of research and innovation, while also highlighting the priorities of the Northern and Western Regional Assembly for the next National Research and Innovation Strategy.

The development of a new strategy could not come at a more important time for the region. The EU’s 2021 “Regional Innovation Scoreboard” shows that the Northern and Western Region is now the only region in Ireland to be classified as a “Moderate Innovator”, namely a region to record an innovation index score between 70% and 100% of the EU average.

Within this context, it is clear that the research and innovation capacity of the region’s research assets will need additional resources to stimulate our economy and assist in its recovery following the economic impact of COVID-19 and Brexit. Furthermore, any new strategy needs to adopt a regional approach and consider the strategic priorities of the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy, which aims for the region to become smarter, greener, more connected and specialised. Click on image below to view the briefing note.