2013 CALL DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED

The Irish Research Council’s Employment-Based Postgraduate Programme is a new and exciting initiative providing postgraduate researchers with an employment-focused educational experience.
More specifically, the Programme offers researchers the opportunity to undertake a Master's or PhD degree while employed by a private company or public organisation based in the Republic of Ireland.

The overall objectives of the Employment-Based Postgraduate Programme are to:

1. provide researchers at Master's and PhD level with an invaluable insight into the commercial aspects of research and innovation.
2. facilitate research collaboration, knowledge transfer and networking between Irish-based private businesses/public bodies and researchers at Irish Higher Education Instiutions.

The programme is open to all research disciplines.
Applications will be accepted from candidates who have secured the support of an eligible Irish Higher Education Institution and an Irish-based private company or public organisation (Employment Partner).
Successful applicants will be registered as postgraduate researchers in the Higher Education Institution but will be directly employed by the Employment Partner for the duration of their award.

The schedule of the first (pilot) call for the new Employment-Based Postgraduate Programme is as follows:

Call Details                                                                     Dates
Pre-Call Notification                                                         26 June 2012
Call Documentation and Guidelines published         29 June 2012
Online application system open for submissions     2 July-25 Sept 2012
Assessment Process                                                      Oct/Nov 2012
Award Notification                                                            Beginning of December

While the award will be made to an individual researcher, applications must include an Irish Higher Education Institution and any private company or public organisation based in the Republic of Ireland. The Programme is designed to enhance the skills and long-term career development prospects of funded researchers through exposure to academia, the private and public sectors and other socio-economic actors, thus extending the traditional postgraduate research setting and eliminating cultural and other barriers to mobility.

Further details, including registration instructions, can be found here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Terms and Conditions

The Employment-Based Postgraduate Programme is sponsored and funded by the Department of Education and Skills through the Irish Research Council with further financial support from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.