Research Group Meeting: 11/02/2014
Research Group
11/02/2014
Present: Tomás Mac Eochagáin, Jane Carrigan, Fiona O’Riordan, Robert McKenna, Treasa Dempsey
Apologies: Waseem Akhtar, Niall Meehan
The group met to establish the College’s Research Committee. As an initial meeting, the following was noted / agreed.
College Commitment
The development of the College’s research activities is of key strategic importance to the College. The research committee is tasked with facilitating and enabling the development of the College’s research function.
Need for Wider Participation
The group agreed that wider representation would be helpful in informing and advancing the College’s research activities. It was proposed that interested members from each faculty / discipline and each centre would be invited to join the group. Tomas is to liaise with the faculties / interested researchers to extend the invitation.
Terms of Reference
It is understood that the role of the research committee is to enable, promote and facilitate the further development of research within the College.
This group will act to facilitate a sharing of ideas and expertise, and celebrate the research / academic achievements of GC staff in a respectful and progressive space.
Detailed terms of reference are required for the group. While these may take a meeting or two to be finalised, it was felt that consideration should be given to them as early as possible to provide clarity for members and non-members alike.
Current Challenges:
It was recognised that there are many researchers already in the College and that research is already being undertaken. However, for most researchers, it is being conducted on an individual basis, without internal or external funding support, sustained by the motivation and persistence of the individual researchers.
Seeking and securing access to external funding is a key objective for the group and the College.
Rationale:
The group members discussed some of the many benefits that might arise directly from an increase in the College’s research activities. For example, many researchers might welcome specific immediate support and encouragement in conducting and advancing their particular research interests, enabling them to overcome hurdles and complete their research to exacting standards.
Others may welcome being part of a research community with others, allowing them to share their views and concerns, gaining and sharing experience with peers and experts.
The building of this larger research community will inevitably lead to further opportunities for the College to deliver and sustain postgraduate research programmes in a range of specialist areas. In doing so, it is expected that the College’s researchers will in time enjoy similar opportunities as their counterparts in the university and wider HE sector to contribute to and lead thinking in their specialist areas.
Next Steps
It was proposed that the group members would immediately consider how best the College could improve life for existing researchers, initially at little or no cost. Suggestions included acknowledging and celebrating research activity and success within the College, and organising forums whereby researchers could share their experiences and learn from and be supported by each other.
Next Meeting:
It was proposed that the next meeting of the group would take place on Tuesday Feb 25th from 10-11am in D211, by which time additional members would also be involved.