Advancing Humanities and Social Sciences Research in Ireland

These initiatives have contributed to the development of:
• an agreed set of general principles and objectives for
Irish research policy;
• a set of enabling structures and initiatives to support the
achievement of national science and research objectives.
Among the more important developments relevant to the
HSS during this period were the launch of the Programme
for Research in Third-Level Institutions (PRTLI) and the Irish
Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences
(IRCHSS) (see Section 4.2). In the later part of 2005 the
Department of Education and Science (DES) launched the
Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF). This is a competitive multiannual
fund designed to support internal change in
third-level institutions and promote the development of intraand
inter-institutional collaboration in teaching and learning
and R&D, as well as improved access, retention and
progression of third-level students (DES 2005). When
applied, it will support measures to improve the quality of
education and/or structures for the delivery of postgraduate
education and research across higher-education institutions.
The Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation
2006–2013 (SSTI) was launched in July 2006 and
offers a vision of R&D for the Irish research system to
2013. It seeks to achieve:
• Coherence among key funding initiatives across all fields
of science;
• A ‘good fit’ between infrastructural investments in the
institutions and research and postgraduate education
programmes;
• An appropriate balance between collaboration and
competition among higher-education institutions.
In early 2007 the fourth PRTLI cycle was announced. This
will build on previous investment in higher education,
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