Our Core Mission and Objectives

Primary Aim: To connect research managers and administrators across the island of Ireland to address mutually relevant issues and challenges, and to capitalise on opportunities to complement existing research support professional networks.

Strategic Objectives:

šŸ”— Professional Connectivity

šŸŒ Network Development & Partnerships

šŸš€ Professional Development & Career Support

Our Journey

2021-2023: Launched through the InterTradeIreland (ITI) Synergy Programme, establishing the foundation for cross-border research collaboration.

2022 Milestone: Our inaugural conference “Research for the Future” brought together 157 delegates at Belfast’s historic Titanic Hotel, with ministerial support from both jurisdictions.

2023-Present: Renewed funding from the Higher Education Authority (HEA) has enabled expansion of membership and activities.

2025 Achievement: Our latest conference “Looking Ahead: The Future of Research Management” attracted 180 delegates to Dublin’s Convention Centre, delivered in partnership with the Irish Research Managers & Professionals Association (IRMPA) and Northern Ireland Research Professionals Network (NIRPN).

Our Vision

To be the definitive voice for research management excellence across the island of Ireland, fostering collaboration that transcends borders and accelerates innovation in an era of rapid change and disruption.

Share Research Management Best Practice & Knowledge

To hold events for RMAs across the IOI (North/South and East/West) to identify and share best practice in research, impact and innovation/enterprise with each other.

AIREN has held many events for research managers and administrators in theĀ  HEI and research community across the island of Ireland to identify and share best practice areas in Research, Impact and Innovation/Enterprise with each other. AIREN events to date have included the in-augural AIREN Conference on ā€˜Research for the Futureā€™ held in Belfast in September 2022.Ā  Learning from each other greatly enhances the professional service and support to the academic community, industry and other stakeholders for the benefit of cross-border collaboration. To support the sharing of research management best practice and knowledge AIREN aims to:

  • Hold 3 AIREN events each year
  • Hold bi-annual AIREN Conferences, with the next AIREN Conference scheduled for 2025Ā 
  • Build relationships with other networks of research support professionals such as EARMA, ARMA (UK), CARDEA, Northern Ireland Research Professionals Network and other research support professional organisations.

Identify & Maximise Funding Opportunities to Support All-island Research

Raise awareness of research funding opportunities available to support cross-border and all-island collaboration, and together maximise the all-island funding awarded through competitive funding programmes. AIREN aims to:

  • Identify and keep informed of funding programmes available to support all-island collaboration
  • Identify and keep informed of funding programmes available to support career development for research support professionals
  • Share knowledge and insights on such funding programmes
  • Facilitate introductions to seed new research collaborations and partnerships
  • Engage with the relevant funding bodies on the same.

Develop the AIREN Network & Expand Membership

As AIREN continues to develop and expand the network aims to:

  • Facilitate interaction between AIREN members across the IOI.
  • Identify and apply to external funding programmes for funding to support AIREN.
  • Provide a forum for engagement with stakeholders (e.g. funding bodies), other relevant networks and all-island initiatives.
  • Provide a ā€˜voiceā€™ for AIREN members to improve and strengthen recognition of the research support profession on the IOI.