The funding was announced by Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD and Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless TD.  

The allocation of €16 million in funding was awarded to four major cross-border research collaborations between higher education institutions in Ireland and Northern Ireland, with each of the four selected projects receiving up to €4 million over a four-year period. kie

Queen’s is a partner in three of the four selected projects, covering cybersecurity, language and identity, and Parkinson’s disease research: 

• CyberUnite: Adaptive Resilient Security for Cross-Border Critical Infrastructure – led by Queen’s PI Dr Kieran McLaughlin from the School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in collaboration with the University of Limerick PI Professor Donna O’Shea; 

• LIFELANGS: Living Observatory of Shared Languages and Identities on the Island of Ireland – led by Queen’s PI Dr Aisling O’Boyle from the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work in collaboration with Trinity College Dublin PI Professor Lorna Carson; 

• PD-Life: Enhancing wellbeing and quality of life in Parkinson’s disease (PD), through an all-Ireland, multidisciplinary, multi-institutional PD research hub – led by Queen’s PI Dr Mihalis Doumas from the School of Psychology in collaboration with University College Cork PI Professor Suzanne Timmons.   

Speaking about the funding awards, Professor Sir Ian Greer, President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast said: “This significant investment in cross-border research will enable Queen’s researchers to work alongside colleagues across the island of Ireland to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time - strengthening our cyber resilience, deepening cultural understanding, and improving the lives of people living with Parkinson’s disease. I congratulate my esteemed colleagues on these awards and look forward to seeing the outputs which will benefit society across this island and further afield.” 

The investment is delivered through the second call of the North-South Research Programme (NSRP), administered by the Higher Education Authority (HEA). 

The initiative is a key pillar of the Irish Government’s Shared Island strategy, advancing an all-island research agenda that strengthens cross-border ties and delivers real, lasting impact for communities across Ireland and Northern Ireland.  

The projects were chosen following a highly competitive process involving 131 applications from 17 higher education institutions, evaluated by international experts. 

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