New agreement strengthens innovation links between Ireland and France

At the signing of the MOU at NovaUCD are (left to right) HE Vincent Guérend, Ambassador of France to Ireland, Professor Mark Rogers, Acting UCD President and Leo Clancy, CEO, Enterprise Ireland.

Enterprise Ireland, University College Dublin and the Embassy of France in Ireland announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing a new International Technical Expert (ETI) role

Building on the strong base of academic and cultural co-operation between France and Ireland, the ETI will work with multiple stakeholders in France and Ireland with the aim of broadening co-operation and mutual understanding in the fields of applied research and innovation. The ETI will be based at NovaUCD, Ireland's leading university incubator, which has supported over 500 start-ups and early-stage ventures.

The ETI will also work closely with the Research and Innovation Department at Enterprise Ireland, which is also the co-ordinator of the Irish National Contact Point network for the Horizon Europe programme.

In addition, the ETI will develop an in-depth understanding of the research and innovation landscape in both Ireland and France to identify strategic priorities common to both jurisdictions.

Leo Clancy, CEO, Enterprise Ireland said, ‘Enterprise Ireland is delighted to be a key partner in this new initiative that will strengthen the research and innovation links between Ireland and France.   Both France and Ireland place a high value on the enterprise and job creation potential of cutting-edge research and innovation and its role in tackling key global issues, such as decarbonisation.  I look forward to the new synergies between the research and innovation communities in both countries that this new initiative will foster.’