On 20 July 2023 the Minister for Further & Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris TD, announced the launch of the Technological Sector Advancement Fund (TSAF). This is a €50 million fund providing targeted support for initiatives that are critical to the strategic development of the technological sector. TSAF will make a contribution towards the costs of maintaining or initiating new activities that are central to an institution delivering on its mission and strategic plan. In this regard, a key objective of TSAF is to support institutions to mainstream activities that have been supported by previous funding streams dedicated to the transformation of the technological sector. TSAF will also make provision for initiatives relating to the final stages of the current set of higher education landscape reforms.  The TSAF is financed by the Government of Ireland and managed by the Higher Education Authority.

Key Objectives of the TSAF:

The new fund aims to build on the success of the technological sector in Ireland. Its primary objectives are to ensure:

1. Established TUs will be enabled in terms of sustainability and self-sufficiency.
2. Institutions are supported to reach their stated objectives in regard to further landscape reform and the ambitions of the Technological Universities Act 2018.
3. A focus on quality, excellence, and capacity building, within and across the technological sector.
4. Implementation of the recommendations set out in the TURN report and OECD Review of technological university academic career paths, contracts and organisation in Ireland.

TSAF funding and eligibility:

The TSAF makes available €50 million in funding to the Irish technological sector over a 30-month period, running from 1 January 2024 until 30 June 2026. The following institutions are eligible to apply for funding under the TSAF:

• Atlantic Technological University
• Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology
• Dundalk Institute of Technology
• Munster Technological University
• South East Technological University
• Technological University Dublin
• Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest

TSAF call documentation:

The scope of the scheme, eligible costs, application and assessment process, and post award monitoring and reporting processes are set out in the call documentation.

TSAF application template:

Applications for funding under TSAF should be made using the TSAF application template. The application form must be submitted to systemperformance@hea.ie by 19^th October 2023 at 17:00. Applications will not be assessed after this date or if they are not eligible as outlined in the documentation.

Frequently asked questions:

Queries will be managed through an FAQ process and may be submitted to systemperformance@hea.ie until 5^th October 2023 at 17:00. Answers will be posted on this webpage.