University College Dublin (UCD) has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the University of Edinburgh to develop closer collaboration between both universities.

As part of the MoA, the universities have announced that they will establish a joint 3-year strategic partnership fund, worth up to €100,000 in the first year, to support collaborative research, along with undergraduate and postgraduate education, in a number of key thematic areas.

The collaboration, in areas of research, innovation and training, will focus on the priority areas where both Edinburgh and UCD have significant expertise and a shared ambition to develop a world-leading position.

Initially, the partnership will focus on One Health, recognising the continuum between human and animal health addressing challenges such as antimicrobial resistance; Geosciences, looking in particular at how to maximise natural resources while minimising climate impacts, and Migration Studies, that is a shared lived experience in both societies. Both Scotland and the Republic of Ireland have long histories of emigration. This collaboration will seek to understand the impact of diasporas. It will also address the more recent experience of both countries in migration.

Welcoming the partnership, Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact at UCD, Professor Orla Feely said, "The agreement formalises a close partnership between the two institutions that is one of our most valued and expresses our ambition to jointly contribute our expertise to solving some of the world’s most challenging problems."

Vice-Principal of Planning, Resources and Research Policy at University of Edinburgh, Professor Jonathan Seckl added, "Stronger links with our colleagues at University College Dublin will provide exciting new opportunities for students and staff alike. This partnership affords an ideal prospect to discover new knowledge and develop innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing problems."

Source: www.businessworld.ie