Research Infrastructure Deficits:

1
Research Infrastructure Deficits Myth or
Reality ? RIA Workshop 28th June 2004
Brian Harvey RCSI
2
Big Investments Big Returns ?
Knowledge-rich society Knowledge-driven
economy Innovation . IP. New Blood Two-tier .
Research and Teaching? Industry RD Advanced
skills jobs High value manufacturing/exports Wealt
h Health Improvement Quality of Life and Social
Gain Quality Infrastructure Transport/Comms/Educ
/Med
Government commitment c1.6 Billion Euro NDP 2006
excellence and prioritisation
Infrastructure New Buildings State-of-the-Art
Equipment
People Research Professors Principal
Investigators Post-docs PhDs
3
The Good
The Bad and The Ugly?
New Research Space Catch-up on historical
deficit? 97,000m2 ? Used to house trad
Depts? Is there enough new
space? Sustainability via Indirect Costs ?
New Blood Researchers No Long-term Career
Paths 1,600 ? Are we really attractive to
foreign research leaders ? Can we
retain the best ? Do we still train PhDs for
export ?
State-of-the-art Equipment No provision for
maintenance or Technical Support ?
Inter-institutional Networks No Long-term
Strategy ? And Super-clusters
4
The Vision Thing
If you get visions - go see a psychiatrist Or I
used to hear voices in my head before it became
trendy
The Reality Thing
Are we in this for the Long Haul? Or How to
avoid being World-famous in Ireland
5
The Long Haul and the Deficit of a Research
Strategy The Poverty of Concept
Current Investment is curing historical ailments
?
Are we really competitive and attractive on the
International scene ? Perceptions Is nepotism
alive and well in Ireland ?
Inappropriate International Comparators and
Models ? SFI looking West . HEA
looking East ? SFI People HEA
Buildings, Equipment, People, Research-led
Teaching
Current Strategies are linked to fixed-term
contracts Active life of a PI - 25 Year
Projection Strategy ? Is research still a
transition to a real job ? Are Research
Centres and Institutes Sustainable ? Where do
we want to be in 2030? Role for Chief
Scientific Advisor in Research Plan for Ireland
6
Strategy is built on experience
Experience is what you get when you dont get
what you want
7
Sustainability of Excellence - Some Advice
Develop Career Tenured Paths for Outstanding
Researchers Research Engineer Posts Research
Technician Posts Equipment Maintenance
Grants Overheads designate flexible areas of
spend pre-agreed with Agency, PI and Institution

• Establish SFI Research Units in 3rd Level
  Institutions
• Stand-Alone Units SAUs
• Mixed Multi-disciplinary Units MMUs
• Associated Units AUs
• International Collaborative Units ICUs
• 5 year Funding Cycle Quadrennial Review for
  renewal or re-orientation

Long-term Strategy for Sustainability of
Super-clusters and Networks DMMC, AUA, NNN,
BSN, NMRC. Do we need new Federative Research
Institutes FRIs ? Do we need new National /
Regional Technology Platforms RTPs ?

• Ring-fence funding for Inter-disciplinary
  Programmes
• -Physical and Life Sciences Fusion Grants
• Integrative Grants
• Translational Research Fund MDs. PhD/MD/
  Clinical Scientists

8
Thank You ! www.rcsi.ie/molmed/ www.rcsi.ie/ibs
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