SIF (Strategic Innovation Fund)
The Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) is a multi-annual fund, administered through the Higher Education Authority (HEA), which is directed towards supporting innovation and enhancing collaboration in the higher education sector. Projects approved to date under SIF are aimed at improving teaching and learning, supporting institutional reform, promoting access and lifelong learning and supporting the development of fourth level education.
Cycle One
Trinity College was awarded €3.2 million under the first cycle of funding for two main projects, Continuation of Academic and Administrative Restructuring and Enabling 4 th Level Ireland - Development of Graduate Education. Trinity College also collaborated in projects led by the Irish Universities Association (IUA), on behalf of the sector, and in the National Academy for Research in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (NAIRTL), a project led by UCC.
- Continuation of Academic and Administrative Restructuring
- Enabling 4 th Level Ireland - Development of Graduate Education
Continuation of Academic and Administrative Restructuring
Partner(s): NUI, Galway and UCC
TCD Award: €2.2 million
Objective(s): To complete TCD’s change management programme and share experience of managing large scale change in the higher education environment.
Enabling 4 th Level Ireland - Development of Graduate Education
Partner(s): NUI, Galway and UCC
TCD Award: €1 million (€500,000 of which was received via NUI, Galway)
Objective(s): The development of graduate education in core research strengths, and achieve growth and innovation in graduate education without compromising high academic standards and quality of programmes.
Cycle Two
In 2008, the HEA announced the planned allocations for projects under the second cycle of SIF. Trinity College was awarded almost €16.5 million in total for projects related to enhancement of learning, graduate education, internationalisation, widening participation and the upgrading of management information systems. Trinity College is also a collaborative partner in the sectoral projects led by the IUA.
- Dublin Region Higher Education Alliance (DRHEA)
- Deaf Studies Ireland
- Roll-out of the Certificate in Contemporary Living
- C4 Systems
Dublin Region Higher Education Alliance (DRHEA)
Partner(s): UCD, DCU, NUIM, DIT, IADT, ITB and ITT Dublin
TCD Award: €9,043,000 (across all four strands)
Objective(s): The Dublin Region Higher Education Alliance (DRHEA) is a strategic alliance of the Higher Education sector in the wider Dublin city-region. It includes four Universities and their linked Colleges (TCD, UCD, DCU and NUIM) and four Institutes of Technology (DIT, IADT, ITB and ITT Dublin). The DRHEA seeks to combine the strengths of its constituent member institutions in key areas, driving economies of scale and efficiencies that will enable both forward-planning and agile responses to national and international demands for high quality, accessible Higher Education that underpins sustainable socio-economic development.
The eight members of the Alliance have identified four strands of activity where collaborative action will lead to efficiencies and increased capacity for development:
- Enhancement of Learning
- Graduate Education
- Widening Participation
- Internationalisation
Deaf Studies Ireland
Partner(s): ITB
TCD Award: €1,280,000
Objective(s): The SIF II Deaf Studies in Ireland project aims to consolidate the activities of the Centre for Deaf Studies (CDS) (established in 2001) as an essential national resource by (i) implementing a Bachelor degree option (two years added to the pre-existing two diploma years in Deaf Studies, ISL teaching and ISL/English interpreting), (ii) the development of digital teaching and learning materials to support the roll-out of blended learning, and (iii) the rolling-out of a research strand in Deaf Studies associated with the programme.
Roll-out of the Certificate in Contemporary Living
Partner(s): UCC
TCD Award: €885,000
Objective(s): The goal of this project is to develop the Certificate in Contemporary Living within Trinity as an evidenced based programme and replicate it in third level institutions across Ireland thereby increasing access to third level education for people with intellectual disabilities.
C4 Systems
Partner(s): UCC, UCD and NUI,Galway
TCD Award: approx. €5,200,000
Objective(s): funding for this project was postponed indefinitely by the HEA.
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