Research Ireland today announces 59 New Foundations awards to tackle national and global issues. Researchers from National College of Ireland have secured two of these awards.
Comprising a total investment of €683,677, New Foundation awards will support researchers in developing collaborative projects with community organisations and government departments. The projects will address health, social, environmental, and economic challenges in Ireland and beyond.
New Foundations promotes close collaboration between researchers, civic society groups, and policymakers. The programme includes co-funding from a range of Government Departments and agencies, including the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Irish Aid), Department of Education, Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the Policing and Community Safety Authority (PCSA), Department of Rural and Community Development, and the Heritage Council.
Making the announcement, Celine Fitzgerald, Interim CEO of Research Ireland, commented: “The New Foundations programme exemplifies how research can be a powerful tool for societal change. By supporting collaboration between academic researchers and those working on the frontlines of community development and public policy, we can co-create knowledge that directly benefits people’s lives. We are proud to support these new projects, which will contribute to a more inclusive, sustainable and evidence-informed Ireland.”
National College of Ireland New Foundations awards
Enhancing university-to-work transition of students with disabilities through work placements: assessing barriers and facilitators in Irish Higher Education
Dr Miguel Flores, Assistant Professor and Programme Director for Work Placements at the School of Business, National College of Ireland (NCI), has been awarded the prestigious New Foundations research grant to lead a groundbreaking project aimed at improving the inclusivity and accessibility of Degree-Embedded Work Placements for students with disabilities in Irish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
The project seeks to address a significant gap in academic research. While existing studies highlight that work placements help graduates apply academic knowledge, develop transferable skills, build professional networks, and shape their graduate identity—ultimately easing the transition into the labour market—these benefits are not equitably experienced by all students. Students with disabilities often face unique challenges, including attitudinal and institutional barriers, and additional systemic hurdles that can hinder their access to these valuable opportunities.
"This research aims to uncover the barriers and enablers that influence the participation of students with disabilities in work placements," said Dr Flores. "The goal is to inform evidence-based policies that foster more inclusive opportunities, empowering students with disabilities to maximize both their academic achievements and professional potential."
This project builds on Dr. Flores’s research into the labour market outcomes of higher education graduates, with a particular focus on the connection between work placements and employability. His recent study found that graduates who complete work placements are more likely to secure roles aligned with their career aspirations compared to those without placement experience (Arsenis & Flores, 2024a). Additionally, his latest publication highlights how work placements influence graduate earnings, revealing that students who return to their placement employer after graduation often enjoy significant financial advantages. These findings underscore the vital role that work placements play in enhancing graduate employability and long-term career success (Arsenis & Flores, 2024b).
Critical Capacities Education Programme
Dr Ita Kennelly, Associate Professor and Programme Director for P-TECH and the MA in Educational Practice at National College of Ireland (NCI), has received her award to fund the development of the Critical Capacities programme: an important initiative designed to support post primary students to build their critical skills to engage confidently, safely and compassionately in the digital world.
The programme will focus on digital and information literacies, safety online, critical thinking to support better judgment online, digital empathy and awareness of digital identity. Through a series of highly participatory workshops it will encourage learners to explore, question and potentially shift their thinking in respect to themselves, others and information in the digital world. Workshops will combine a knowledge building element that supports learning of the online environment (e.g. how algorithms work in social media) a skills building element (e.g. how to evaluate sources of information) and a reflection element on uses and habits online.
The pilot programme will be designed and delivered to students in Transition Year in Larkin Community College, Dublin 1 in 2025. The research team comprises NCI academic staff and teachers from Larkin Community College. As an action research project, the team will engage in teaching and evaluation at all stages of the programme and will produce a set of recommendations for further development and improvement of the initiative as well as data which captures students’ experiences.
Speaking about the initiative, Dr Kennelly (Principal Investigator) commented: “This pilot programme provides an avenue for deeper understanding of key issues for young people within the digital space and seeks to learn how we can engage students in examining their digital world as participant and contributor with greater criticality and compassion. The project aligns with NCI’s mission to change lives through education and to work collaboratively with our education partners to develop initiatives that have a value to our community.”
Noting the success of Dr Flores and Dr Kennelly, Professor Breda McTaggart said: "I'm very proud to congratulate Miguel and Ita on this achievement. Research is a core activity at NCI, with increasing national and international impact. I look forward to our next interdepartmental Research Day on campus on June 12th when, as a new Dean at NCI, I'll have my first opportunity to see a range of research activities from all across the College, and I am really looking forward to it."
More about New Foundations
Awarded researchers represent 14 higher education institutions, including: Atlantic Technological University (1), Dublin City University (11), Mary Immaculate College (1), Maynooth University (7), Munster Technological University (1), National College of Ireland (2), RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences (2), South East Technological University (1), Technological University of the Shannon (1), Trinity College Dublin (7), University College Cork (5), University College Dublin (4), University of Galway (7) and University of Limerick (9).
Funded awards include:
• The flats are coming down. Yup the flats! A sociological exploration of life in the Dolphin House flat complex using arts-based creative methods (Trinity College Dublin)
• The role of crime & security journalism in our democracy (Maynooth University)
• Co-designing a web-based resource to help young people with disabilities find suitable physical activities in their community (RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences)
• Social economy initiatives supporting ‘Ageing in Place’ (University College Cork)
Over a period of 9-12 months, the New Foundations funding will enable researchers to build new partnerships, explore innovative ideas, and bring academic expertise to real-world issues through research actions, network development, conferences and workshops, and capacity building for interdisciplinary collaboration.