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Published: 06 May 2026 2,604 views
The Research Ireland Discover Programme Call aims to strengthen the engagement of the research and innovation system with society in general. Through education and public engagement activities, it will highlight pathways into research and innovation careers, while also fostering informed dialogue on the broader role of research and innovation in shaping our lives and environment. The programme will prioritise public engagement, and will help grow opportunities for engaged research. It will facilitate stronger connections between researchers, public policy, and wider research users and performers to achieve tangible improvements in people’s lives. Importantly, this year the Discover Programme extends beyond STEM and is open to engagement with all research disciplines.
The Research Ireland Discover Programme will be run in collaboration with the Department of Education and Youth. Research Ireland is open to forging new co-funding partnerships with agencies and organisations.
| Application Deadline | 11 Jun 2026 |
| Value | Up to €300,000 |
| Country to study | Ireland |
| Type | Fellowship |
| Sponsor | Research Ireland |
| Gender | Men and Women |
The Research Ireland Discover Programme Call is open to a wide range of people and organisations.
Applications must be submitted by organisations based in the Republic of Ireland (see Call document for further details). Organisations may partner with groups internationally. Organisations are defined in the Discover Programme Call Terms and Conditions, and in line with the Research Ireland Eligible Research Bodies Policy, available here.
Funding for Research Ireland Centres, Co-Centres or Strategic Partnerships is restricted. Team members from any of these entities who propose to submit an application to the Discover Programme Call must first complete and submit a proposal overview form. The form is available in the Download section on the Discover Programme Call web page. Written confirmation in the form of an email from the Research Ireland Discover Programme Call Manager to confirm eligibility in advance of the submission of an application is required. It is recommended that you complete and submit this short form as soon as possible AND before commencing your application. Forms must be submitted to [email protected] by 13.00 (Irish time) 28th May 2026 at the latest. Failure to complete the above step may result in your application being deemed ineligible.
Research Ireland has a list of Eligible Research Bodies – check list of Eligible Research Bodies here.
If your organisation is included on this list, then your application must be stamped and signed off by the appropriate officer (typically the Research Office) within your organisation using the Eligible Research Body Cover Sheet available on SESAME, Research Ireland’s online grants and awards management system.
Applications are also welcome from other bodies (i.e. any organisation not included on the above list). There are two categories of other bodies which can become eligible for the Research Ireland Discover Programme Call 2026:
To become eligible for the Research Ireland Discover Call 2026, your application must be stamped and signed off by the appropriate person (senior executive) within your organisation using the “Other Bodies – State Body” Cover Sheet available on SESAME. A senior executive within the organisation is required to sign the cover sheet to indicate the organisation’s support for the application.
To become eligible for the Discover Call 2026, applicants in this category are required to:
If you have any doubt about your organisation’s status, please email [email protected] for clarification. This must be done in good time before the closing date (minimum seven days) to ensure that your application can be completed and submitted before the deadline
Applications must be submitted via SESAME which requires log-in details.
A SESAME profile will be created for you and log-in details will be emailed to the email address provided.
SESAME is accessed using the Internet; no additional software needs to be installed. You can access SESAME online from any location. The configuration of some browsers and internet infrastructure (pop-up blockers, firewalls, etc.) can restrict an individual’s access to the internet and as a result to the SESAME system. If you are having any such difficulties, please contact your organisation’s IT support team.
Draft applications may be amended as many times as required but once submitted no further changes can be made.
Once submitted, applications cannot be withdrawn and subsequently modified for re-submission in the same Call.
Early submission in SESAME is strongly recommended. Applicants who wait until shortly before the close of the call take serious risk of encountering submission issues. The “Submit” button will cease to be active at the indicated deadline and no late entries will be accepted.
A checklist of requirements is provided at the end of the Call document. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that eligible proposals are received by Research Ireland on, or before, the deadline indicated. In order to safeguard against ineligibility, applicants are reminded to adhere rigorously to the guidelines in the Call documentation and to review the proposal document prior to submission.
Downloads
Contact: [email protected]
For more information, kindly visit Research Ireland webpage.
