Dr Lisa Higgins
Head of Challenge Research, Education & Public Engagement, Research Ireland
One of the most significant global challenges facing the manufacturing sector today is sustainability. Ireland’s manufacturing sector is crucial, contributing to almost 37% of the country’s GDP and 11% of total employment.
Digital transformation and green transition are key to driving both competitiveness and sustainability across the manufacturing sector. The integration and adoption of emerging and advanced digital technologies have a transformative potential to address both technological and societal challenges relating to the sustainability of manufacturing and supply chain resilience.
Sustainability and resilience through collaboration
Sustainable industrial development faces challenges that demand technological innovation and strong, coordinated collaboration across diverse stakeholders. Investment in research and innovation is crucial for the manufacturing sector to develop solutions to these challenges that will lead to sustainable manufacturing processes. Involvement of stakeholders who understand the needs of end users ensures that digital technologies are integrated in a responsible way that reflects values such as safety, fairness, inclusion and privacy.
Researchers working with industry
stakeholders are developing a range
of innovative industry-focused solutions.
Value of a solution-focused approach
One novel approach being employed is called ‘Challenge-Based Funding’. This solution-focused approach fosters cross-disciplinary and cross-sector collaboration among academic researchers, industry experts, government regulators, end-users and other stakeholders. It ensures close cooperation to develop innovative, practical solutions to well-articulated problems.
Research Ireland’s National Challenge Fund, a €65 million research fund established under the Government of Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, and funded by the EU Commission Recovery and Resilience Facility, supports researchers in creating disruptive digital technologies that will lead to new digital products, processes and services that will unlock transformational societal and economic impact for Ireland.
Teams of researchers working with industry stakeholders are developing a range of innovative industry-focused solutions — from deployable collaborative robotic systems and additive manufacturing (3D printing) with integrated computer vision to sustainable green hydrogen production.
Engage Ireland’s research ecosystem
With the ever-growing need to deliver solutions to specific industrial challenges, there has never been a better time to engage with Ireland’s leading research ecosystem and discover the benefits collaborative research and innovation can and do deliver for industry and society as a whole.
