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TU RISE – TU Research and Innovation Supporting Enterprise
Under TU RISE, €83.68m will be made available to higher education institutions in the technological sector to support research capacity building with a focus on enhancing engagement with regional enterprises.
Scope and objectives of TU RISE
TU RISE will enhance central research functions within the technological university sector to further institutions’ engagements with their regions. The scheme has two key outcomes:
- Establishment and/or development of central research functions in institutions to support research capacity building and further engagement with regions.
- Enhancement of institutional research capacity through increasing researcher human capital in research areas that have potential to facilitate stronger engagement with regional enterprises aligned to Ireland’s Smart Specialisation Strategy and Regional Enterprise Plans.
TU RISE is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-2027 and the Northern & Western Regional Programme 2021-2027.
TU RISE funding allocations
Following a call for applications launched in July 2023 and managed by the HEA, funding under TU RISE has been allocated to technological universities and institutes of technology as follows. Further information on each institution’s project can be found by clicking on the links below.
| ERDF Regional Programme | Higher Education Institution and TU RISE Project Information | Amount awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Southern, Eastern and Midland Regional Programme | Munster Technological University (MTU) | €14,600,000 |
| Southern, Eastern and Midland Regional Programme | South East Technological University (SETU) | €13,600,000 |
| Southern, Eastern and Midland Regional Programme | Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) | €13,600,000 |
| Southern, Eastern and Midland Regional Programme | Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest (TUS) | €12,000,000 |
| Southern, Eastern and Midland Regional Programme | Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) | €5,000,000 |
| Southern, Eastern and Midland Regional Programme | Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT) | €3,600,000 |
| Northern and Western Regional Programme | Atlantic Technological University (ATU) | €19,600,000 |
TU RISE progress update (Quarter 3 – 2025)
Following the completion of the call for applications, notification of outcomes and signing of grant agreements by the end of 2023, each HEI’s TU RISE project commenced on 1 January 2024. In addition, each HEI’s project plan was the subject of a project approval process carried out by the HEA with all project plans formally approved by July 2024.
HEIs funded under TU RISE submit biannual reports to the HEA. These reports are complemented by regular meetings to discuss project progress. The most recent set of meetings took place in Q2 2025. TU RISE project activity to date has seen saw a strong focus by HEIs on staff recruitment to support project delivery and the registration of TU RISE-funded PhD students.
With the first full year of the programme now complete, 2025 has marked a phase of further implementation, expansion, and refinement across HEIs’ TU RISE projects with continued engagement by the HEA with HEIs on their project plans.
Management verification of TU RISE expenditure commenced in 2025 and HEIs are also in the process of submitting their first project performance reports that measure progress against scheme indicators. In addition, the HEA continues to work closely with the Southern Regional Assembly and Northern and Western Regional Assembly who act as Managing Authorities for their respective regional programmes.
For further information on TU RISE, please email systemperformance@hea.ie.