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The Technological Sector Advancement Fund is a successor to previous support funds and aims to help TUs fulfil their strategic objectives.
The Irish Government has announced a new €50m fund to boost technological universities (TUs) and the support they give to their local regions.
The Technological Sector Advancement Fund (TSAF) was launched today (20 July), to support the costs of current and new initiatives being undertaken by Ireland’s TUs.
The fund is a successor to previous funds that were focused on turning former institutes of technology into TUs, such as the HE Landscape Fund and the TU Fund.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris, TD, said it is important to move past the “establishment phase” and focus on “embedding TUs in our regions”.
“This fund will be about supporting TUs to fulfil their mission – to support the needs of individuals, business and local communities,” Harris said. “That is the next stage of our TU agenda and it is absolutely essential this funding is used to deliver for the regions they serve.
“This fund will ensure there is no cliff edge in terms of support but critically, it will take these new technological universities to a different stage of their development.”
The higher education institutions that are eligible include Ireland’s five TUs, the Dundalk Institute of Technology and the Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology.
The TSAF will be managed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and will support the mainstream activities TUs have started under previous funding streams, along with new initiatives on “further landscape reform”. The overall goal of the TSAF is to support Ireland’s technology sector.
The fund will “enable institutions to achieve their strategic ambitions,” HEA CEO Dr Alan Wall said. “The fund will also enhance the capabilities of the technological sector as a whole, demonstrating its economic, social and education impact in regions across Ireland.”
Harris said the HEA is taking applications for TSAF funding, with a closing data of 19 October 2023. Earlier this month, the Minister announced a funding boost of €83.68m, to help Irish TUs grow their research capacity and engage with regional businesses.
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