€60,000 bursary will support six Masters students at University College Dublin, University of Galway, and University College Cork.

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys has launched a new bursary to support a number of Masters students in the area of rural development.

As part of the initiative, six students will be supported with a bursary with a value of €60,000.

The initiative is being rolled out in partnership with Irish third level colleges and delivers upon a commitment in the five-year rural development policy, Our Rural Future.

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. 

Minister Humphreys said: “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. 

“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.”

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.  

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.