QuID Funding Showcase 2026
QUID Funding Showcase Event: 2026
Celebrating Global Engagement Across DCU
The Quality and Institutional Insights Office and the Quality Promotion Committee were delighted to host the second annual QuID Funding Showcase Event on Monday, 11 May 2026.
The event brought together colleagues from across the university for an afternoon of knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and inspiration, showcasing how the 2025 QuID funded projects contributed to strengthening DCU’s global engagement across teaching, research, partnerships, and the wider university community.
Opened by Deputy President, Prof. Anne Sinnott, the showcase featured presentations from project leads who shared insights, experiences, and outcomes from their “Fostering Global Engagement” initiatives.
Lunch and networking at the beginning of the event provided attendees with an opportunity to connect with colleagues and explore innovative practices emerging across DCU.
“Fostering Global Engagement”
The event highlights initiatives that strengthen DCU’s international outlook and collaborative culture through teaching innovation, research partnerships, student engagement, and institutional development.
The following presentations and project materials from the QuID Funding Showcase 2026 are available below.
For further information about the QuID Fund or future showcase events, don't hesitate to contact the Quality and Institutional Insights Office.
2025 Projects:
DC@DCU: Decolonising the Curriculum at DCU
Project Team: Samantha (Jiaxin) Xu, Academic Integrity Officer
Dr Rob Lowney, Senior Learning Technologist
Lily (Prajakta) Girme, Academic Development Officer
Barry Peak, Education for Sustainable Development Officer
Project Details: Support DCU educators in relevant decolonising and diversifying activity in teaching, learning and assessment
Promote and enhance quality teaching and learning practices by encouraging critical reflection and innovative changes for a more inclusive curriculum
Project Slides: Here
Around the World in 80 Books
Project team: Orla Nic Aodha, Associate Director, Public Services & Outreach, DCU Library
Project summary: Around the World in Eighty Books: Travel the world, immerse yourself in other cultures and get fit - all without leaving the library! From May 2025 to September 2026, the library developed an initiative combining international literature, wellbeing, and community engagement. Staff curated 80 literary titles representing ECIU consortium countries and the diverse cultures of DCU’s international student community, with 34 new titles added to the collection. Desk bikes introduced during Culture Night 2025 proved highly popular and were officially launched to staff and students in March 2026 through interactive events and competitions promoting health and wellbeing. By September 2026, desk bikes will be installed in both the Cregan and O’Reilly Libraries, supporting orientation activities, multicultural events, and a year-long “cycle around the world” challenge designed to encourage reading, exercise, and cross-cultural engagement across the university community.
Project Slides: Here
Driving Effective ECIU Research Collaborations
Project Team: Dr Sophie Ball, Senior Erasmus+ Development Officer (Lead applicant); Dr Ecaterina McDonagh, Senior Research Support Lead; Dr Amy Hall, Senior European Research Development Officer
Project Summary: Collaboration with ECIU partners has strengthened research quality, knowledge exchange, and international engagement across DCU. Working with trusted partners has enhanced support for funding applications and project delivery, while outward visits and collaborative events have facilitated the sharing of best practices in areas such as European Research Council support, knowledge security, research integrity, and research talent development. The initiative has also led to new opportunities for collaboration, including research partnerships and discussions on student exchange programmes with the University of Trento. Strong participation from ECIU partners, DCU research centres, and academic staff demonstrated the value of the initiative, with early indicators of success including a significant increase in research ideas submitted to the ECIU Research Labs event in 2026. Ongoing collaborations, funding applications, and strategic partnerships will continue to be monitored as the long-term impact develops.
Project Slides: Here
DCU Global Impact Showcase: How Open Research practices have expanded the international reach of DCU research to global audiences
Project Team: Isabel Hidalgo, Senior Research Data Officer & Liam O’Dwyer, Open Research Librarian
Project Summary: The QuID-funded DCU Global Impact Showcase, titled ‘Open Research for Global Impact’, took place on 15 October 2025 on the DCU Glasnevin Campus and highlighted innovative open research practices across all five Faculties. Nine shortlisted presentations showcased approaches including citizen science, public and patient involvement, open data, open access, and open software, with awards presented for the most impactful contribution. Supported by DCU Research, DCU Library, and the Open Research Steering Group, the event also featured a keynote address from Dr Lisa Griffith of the Digital Repository of Ireland on the growing importance of open research nationally and internationally. The initiative continues beyond the event through online dissemination of presentations, featured researcher profiles in the monthly Research Newsletter, and the development of a promotional video focused on the benefits and impact of open research practices.
Project Slides: Here
Illustrating Change On Campus
Project Team: Dr. Maria Loftus, Assistant Lecturer in French, SALIS
Project Summary: The Illustrating Change on Campus project is a co-designed, arts-based initiative that uses graphic storytelling to promote anti-racist awareness, empathy, and global civic engagement. Running from May 2025 to April 2026, the project involved the rewriting, illustration, and development of a three-part graphic novel, alongside community engagement activities including a workshop in Rialto and a DCU seminar on Radical Metrics and community-facing data. The project also supported enhancements to the project website and the submission of a related academic journal article. The initiative expanded beyond its original scope to illustrate all three interconnected stories, ensuring a cohesive and publication-ready resource. Further student workshops and wider dissemination activities are planned for Autumn 2026.
Project Slides: Here
NeuroBridge: An Online Resource to Reduce Isolation for Autistic International Students in Higher Education
Project Team Lead: Sophie Butler (Research Assistant)
Project Summary: This project co-designed an accessible online resource with autistic participants, drawing on lived experiences and insights gathered through a series of participatory workshops. Following the award of QuID funding, the project undertook recruitment planning, accessibility reviews, and the development of participant materials in easy-read and plain language formats. Recruitment commenced in November 2025, and six workshops were delivered in early 2026 to inform the development of the resource, which launched in June 2026. The completed project placed a strong emphasis on inclusive and ethical engagement practices, supporting greater accessibility awareness and inclusive approaches across the university community.
Project Slides: Here