Project "CARDEA" launched in Ireland worth 1.4 mil EUR

The project is a joint initiative between universities from Belgium, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain and at UCC where Mary O’Regan, UCC HR Business Manager and Dr Joanne Ui Chrualaoich are co-Principal investigators.

"Research managers and research support staff make a valuable yet undervalued contribution to Europe’s research excellence," Ms O’Regan explained.

"Unfortunately, there is a fundamental lack of understanding of European Research Manager profiles, including role characteristics, demographics and career pathways. The profession is almost invisible from a policy, career development and career trajectory perspective compared to a Principal Investigator. 

Dr Ui Chrualaoich said: "Research Manager is a relatively young career profile, but their importance is likely to increase in the next 20-30 years as we tackle more complex problems than ever. These problems require a depth of technical specificity provided by researchers and breadth of visibility, application, and exploitation of results.

Ivona Peternel, PhD presented the Juraj Dobrila University of Pula. She explained the interantionalization goals and achievements. This Horizon Europe project is very significant for the UNIPU science community. UNIPU is leading working package three – the Hub. It is a key collaborative effort of CARDEA where the partners and other users will come together to realise the call objectives. 

UCC President Professor John O'Halloran said: "Research is what defines us at UCC, and word leading research can only be conducted when we have a supporting ecosystem to enable ideas to be transformed into actions and discoveries. This European Research projects not only helps us to develop our people in that ecosystem but also lead the development of career opportunities and structures to deliver on our ambitious research agenda in Europe and through UCC Futures in securing our future and that of our planet."

UCC Vice President for Research & Innovation Professor John Cryan said: "Research Managers are the hinge which allow for the doors of research to be open. Like most hinges they are largely unseen but essential. I congratulate the Cardea team for this innovative interdisciplinary project which will advocate for a voice for Research Managers within the European Research Area."