Research Newsletter - Issue 111: Information and Updates
Please click on the headings below for further detail:
Nominations for the President’s Awards for Research 2026 are now open.
The award categories are:
- The President’s Research Award for Early Career Staff
- The President’s Research Award for Academic Staff
- The President’s Research Award for Impact
The closing date for nominations is Friday 27 February 2026 at 17:00.
The Awards Ceremony will take place on Thursday 30 April 2026 in The Helix.
Please visit the President’s Awards for Research webpage to submit a nomination.
For all queries in relation to nominations, please email Kieran O’Dwyer.
As many of you know, DCU is implementing Pure, a new, integrated research information management system that will replace our current systems, Research Engine and TORA, on a phased basis. Pure will provide a single, modern platform for managing research profiles, showcasing outputs and activities, and supporting award management and reporting across the University.
The first phase of the Pure implementation has been focusing on the researcher profile element of the Pure system. Over the last number of months, the project team has been working closely with colleagues from across DCU to ensure that the system is being designed and configured with the needs of the research community firmly in mind. This includes extensive engagement through our Working Group, Advisory Board, and Researcher Council, with representation from all Faculties and key Professional Support Units including the Library, DTS, DCU People, Engagement, Finance, Invent, QIO, DCU Innovate, Graduate Studies, and Communications, Marketing and Events. All Associate Deans for Research and Research Convenors have been invited to take part in these groupings and we are also continuing to run additional focused sessions to allow specific topics to be developed further. These inputs have been shaping how Pure will work for DCU and how it will support the full breadth of research activity.
In the coming months, we will continue this collaborative design process, holding focused sessions on specific areas and with key groups of users. We are also working closely with peer institutions and with Elsevier’s implementation specialists to ensure best practice and a smooth transition to the new system.
The move to Pure should be a positive one for researchers, with significant advantages in relation to showcasing your research. We know that researchers will want to understand how Pure will affect you and what you will need to do. For now, there is nothing you need to do. Research Engine and TORA should continue to be used as normal, and there will be plenty of notice, guidance, and support well in advance of any required actions. The current and new systems will overlap during the transition period to ensure a smooth and well‑supported move for everyone.
In next month’s Research Newsletter, we will share more detail on what Pure profiles will look like, along with further information on what to expect as we move towards launch. In the meantime, if you have any queries, please feel free to contact us at researchsystems@dcu.ie.
The Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI) has launched a new award to recognise outstanding examples of FAIR data reuse in research and education.
The Research Reuse Reward highlights the importance of meaningful engagement with secondary data in contemporary research and information practices. It is open to applicants who can demonstrate responsible reuse of data from DRI collections.
The deadline for applications is Friday 15 May 2026.
DCU jointly hosted the inaugural Open Research Week Ireland, an online event celebrating and promoting open research, from 9–11 February 2026.
The programme featured a range of sessions exploring open research practices and perspectives, including citizen science, open publishing, rights retention, open software, and open data.
A number of DCU colleagues contributed to the programme:
- Alex Kouker and Geraldine McNamara (DCU Library) presented “Undergraduate journal publishing at DCU: a library-based and scholar-led collaboration.”
- Dr James Brunton (the School of Psychology) presented “ENGAGED: Developing a national roadmap for public engagement and open research through sectoral stakeholder engagement.”
- Dr Brian Ó Raghallaigh (Fiontar agus Scoil na Gaeilge) presented “Terminologue – from terminology research to open software.”
- Dr Úna Bhreathnach (Fiontar agus Scoil na Gaeilge) presented “Meitheal Dúchas.ie and the voluntary transcription of half a million pages of folklore.”
The event was organised by a team of five librarians, including Liam O’Dwyer (DCU Library), and was a collaboration between Dublin City University, Queen’s University Belfast, University College Cork, University College Dublin, and University of Galway.
DCU is a signatory of the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment (ARRA) and an active member of both the Irish National CoARA (Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment) Chapter and the ECIU CoARA Working Group.
The work of reviewing and reforming research assessment at DCU is aligned with our Open Research agenda and is overseen by the DCU Open Research Steering Group (ORSG).
The DCU CoARA Action Plan has now been published as open access on Zenodo. The plan outlines our commitment to developing a culture of open, transparent, and merit-based research assessment, and sets out key milestones to support implementation.
CoARA Boost Project
In parallel with the development of the DCU CoARA Action Plan, a DCU project team has been awarded funding through the EU CoARA cascade funding call.
The project, titled “Reforming research assessment throughout the employee lifecycle,” focuses on institutional change. Training resources will be developed to upskill those involved in research assessment, supporting more open and responsible evaluation practices.
Led by Dr Maura Coulter (DCU Institute of Education), the project brings together DCU People (HR), DCU Research, and the DCU Open Research Steering Group.
Engagement from the DCU research community will be central to the project’s success. If you are interested in contributing to consultations or focus group discussions, please complete the expression of interest form.
The Net4Society network has published the 2026–2027 Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) Opportunities document.
Net4Society are a transnational network for Cluster 2 "Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society" (CL2) National Contact Points (NCPs) in Horizon Europe. Their role is to advise researchers and other relevant, eligible stakeholders in their efforts to secure EU funding.
This resource supports Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) researchers in identifying relevant Horizon Europe calls, particularly those with strong interdisciplinary and SSH integration requirements.
Interested researchers are encouraged to review the document and identify relevant opportunities. If you identify a call of interest, please contact your Faculty Research Development Officer to discuss positioning, consortium development, and next steps.
What is a policy brief, and why is it important?
A policy brief is a short, targeted document that draws on scientific evidence to inform actionable recommendations for policymakers.
Evidence-based policy making supports smarter decisions and more effective policies.
The EU Research Executive Agency (REA) has published a practical guide to help Horizon Europe projects develop clear and impactful policy briefs.
The guide includes drafting tips, key dos and don'ts, and a template with examples.
For further information, please visit the REA policy brief guidance webpage.
Looking to increase the impact of your research and engage policymakers?
The EU Research Executive Agency (REA) has published a starter kit outlining how EU-funded projects can communicate scientific evidence at European, national, regional, and local levels, along with practical tools and resources.
This resource can support both proposal development and project delivery by strengthening policy engagement and impact pathways.