- New initiative rolled out in partnership with our third level colleges
The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has today launched a new bursary to support a number of Masters Students in the area of rural development.
The initiative is being rolled out in partnership with our third level colleges and delivers upon a commitment in our five-year rural development policy, Our Rural Future.
As part of the initiative, six students will be supported with a bursary with a value of €60,000.
The bursary was developed in collaboration with the Higher Education Institution Network which was established by the Department to encourage the wider take-up of rural development research at postgraduate level.
Expressions of Interest were invited from the Network in order to enhance collaboration between higher education institutions, research organisations and Government.
Funding is now being awarded to a joint proposal by University College Dublin, University of Galway and University College Cork for their complementary masters programmes in rural development with specialisms in rural innovation, climate adaptation, and sustainable development, including CUBS MSc in Sustainable Development, Agri-Food and Co-operatives.
The bursary will be funded by the DRCD and administered by University College Dublin as the lead partner organisation. It will support six students to undertake a masters programme in rural development, two students in each of the three partnering universities.
The students, who will be selected by the universities, will engage with the Department and other nominated departments in the formulation of specific research questions focused on advancing the objectives of Our Rural Future and providing an evidence base to aid the development of public policy or support evaluation of specific policy challenges.
The bursary recognises the impact of rural development studies and education and demonstrates the Government’s continued commitment to supporting research to contribute to the evidence base underpinning national policies relevant to sustainable rural development.
Announcing the initiative today, Minister Humphreys said:
“I am delighted to announce, in collaboration with the Higher Education Institutions Network, a bursary to support postgraduate studies in rural development.
“We hope that this financial support will encourage and support graduates who want to continue their studies and pursue a future career in the area of rural development.
“Under ‘Our Rural Future’, our rural communities have undergone a huge level of change and rejuvenation that has had a really positive impact on families and businesses.
“This initiative will support and enable students who want to further their careers in this very exciting area of studies.”
Dr Mary O’Shaughnessy, Head, Department of Food Business and Development, UCC:
"I am absolutely delighted to be part of this National University of Ireland team to have been awarded this bursary for master studies in rural development from the Department of Rural and Community Development. It is a fitting recognition of the importance of rural development study and research for wider societal wellbeing"
Minister Humphreys concluded:
“We hope to see applications from candidates in all disciplines relevant to sustainable rural development outlined in Our Rural Future.
We welcome research projects that will contribute to the evidence basis which will underpin government policies relevant to sustainable rural development and help us address the challenges and seize the opportunities ahead of us.”