Minister Lawless announces €65.8 million enhancement fund for the technological sector and publicly funded specialist colleges

Posted: 2 December, 2025

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless T.D. today (2^nd December 2025) announced funding allocations of €65.8 million under a new Targeted Enhancement Fund (TEF).

The TEF builds on significant investment in higher education reform. The fund will provide targeted support for initiatives that are critical to the strategic development of higher education institutions in the technological sector and publicly funded specialist colleges. It will contribute towards the cost of maintaining or initiating enhancement activities that are central to an institution delivering on its mission and strategic plan. The fund will also make provision for initiatives relating to further landscape reform and expansion of research activities in publicly funded specialist colleges.

The investment will be used by higher education institutions to advance digital transformation and business intelligence, support student success and engagement, increase professional development opportunities for staff, and support the attainment of Climate Action targets including monitoring of and reporting on Climate Action Roadmaps. Additionally, the fund will be utilised to support collaborative activities including the development of solutions to enhance academic integrity, enhance TU data infrastructure and business intelligence and prepare for further developments in AI.

Speaking today, Minister Lawless said: “Investment under the Targeted Enhancement Fund continues government support for reform of higher education and builds on the momentum of previous funding streams. The TEF is an additional investment in our national ambition to further strengthen our smart, skilled knowledge economy. This is about ensuring that students can learn, live and work in their region and that our higher education institutions are equipped to drive future growth, inclusion, and competitiveness.

I am particularly delighted that over the lifetime of this fund, and subject  to the required approvals, the TEF will be the mechanism by which our five Technological Universities will take their final step in coming into alignment with previously established universities in having the capacity to appoint Professorial grades; this grade was not open to them in their former IoT status.”

The TEF, which is managed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA), will see funding of up to €30 million disbursed to the institutions this year for projects commencing in January 2026. Projects will operate over a 36-month period to 31 December 2028.

The CEO of the Higher Education Authority Dr Alan Wall said, “The TEF was designed to be responsive to the diversity of our higher education and research system. The nine institutions eligible for TEF funding are distinct in strategy, location, scale, mission and stage of development, and the projects funded reflect this range. While the outputs and outcomes of projects vary, they importantly coalesce around a number of key priorities for the sector, including student success, digital capability and security, and climate and sustainability.

The funding allocations announced today will ensure the enhancement of the higher education and research system, accelerating institutions’ performance for the benefit of their students and regions”.

Pictured with the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless, T.D. are (from left to right):

Dr Victoria Brownlee, Senior Manager, System Development & Performance Management, HEA

Dr Sheila Flanagan, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Registrar, DkIT

Dr David Ryan, Associate Vice President Sustainability, SETU

Professor Dermot Nestor, President, MIC

Dr Seán Duffy, Vice President ATU Integration, ATU

Professor Vincent Cunnane, President, TUS

Professor Maggie Cusack, President, MTU

David Smith, President, IADT

Dr Deirdre Lillis, President, TU Dublin

Tim Conlon, Head of Policy and Strategic Planning, HEA

Professor Philip Napier, Head of Fine Art, NCAD

Note To Editors

Nine applications for funding were made to the TEF from higher education institutions in the technological sector and publicly funded specialist colleges. Two collaborative applications were also proposed.

TEF allocations for projects commencing 1 January 2026 are as follows:

Further information on the TEF, including the call for applications and assessment process, can be found in the call documentation on the HEA website.