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The Irish government has made available additional resources to support innovation in higher education and institutions operating across several sites.

Up to €5 million (?4.4 million) has been allocated to a new innovation fund to which for financial support. In launching the fund, education and skills minister Richard Bruton explained that it was designed to ¡°prioritis[e] four key areas for funding which include improving student learning outcomes, flexible learning opportunities, student progression, and the recognition of prior learning¡±. Submissions will be assessed by an independent international expert panel and the successful projects will be determined later this year.

Multi-site institutions can apply to a separate fund for €250,000 per annum that?higher education minister Mary Mitchell O¡¯Connor described as ¡°intended to recognise the challenges faced by operating in more than one campus, over a wide geographical area, and the funding implications that this presents¡±.

Both funds take up the recommendations of an independent expert panel looking into the best funding allocation model for Ireland

matthew.reisz@timeshighereducation.com