IRELAND HAS been named the best country in the world for immunology sciences, giving morale a boost as the country's top scientists continue a search for a coronavirus vaccine.
The Science Foundation of Ireland yesterday confirmed that the Emerald Isle ranks first in the world for quality of science in immunology, thanks to a huge investment in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).
The SFI's report laid out Ireland's contribution to the science for 2019, with 2,894 international academic collaborations with 75 different countries, a 26% increase in education and public engagement activities, and 1,860 industry collaborations across Ireland being some of the highlights of the annual report.
Ireland has been ranked first in the world for quality of immunology sciencesIreland also came close to topping the board a second time, being named 2nd in the world for its quality of agricultural sciences.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, welcomed the news yesterday as he launched the annual report.
He said:
“The crucial role excellent research, international collaboration and innovative talent plays in helping us to respond to global challenges including Covid-19 has never been clearer, so today I am extremely pleased to launch SFI’s 2019 Annual Report.
"Recent months have shown us the ability of Ireland’s research community to work together and deliver solutions for Ireland through SFI's Covid-19 Rapid Response Funding Call."
Ireland is ranked first in the world for the quality of science in Immunology https://t.co/wj68lyiITg pic.twitter.com/li3rtUpzUX
— Luke O'Neill (@laoneill111) August 26, 2020
Chairman of the SFI, Professor Peter Clinch, said the outstanding achievements within the report "clearly demonstrate the crucial role that science and research play in our national effort to address the many societal and economic challenges we face."
Immunology and vaccine research has never been more important than in the year the Covid-19 pandemic shut down most of the world, which the Director General of the SFI and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland, Professor Mark Ferguson acknowledged at the launch of the report.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has proven the critical importance of science and research in delivering solutions that support our future health, environment and quality of life," Prof Ferguson said.
"Our position as 1st in the world for quality of science in immunology means that Irish scientists are playing a crucial role in the global response to Covid-19.
"In addition to our expertise and impact in immunology, the Covid-19 Rapid Response Funding Call further demonstrates how SFI can respond quickly to work in collaboration with other funders and industry to support the best researchers across Ireland, embedding a culture of evidence-based policy and capitalising on the research capability in our Higher Education Institutions.
"For our society and economy, it is clear that research in science and innovation will play a critical role in our recovery; supporting development, attracting Foreign Direct Investment and harnessing transformational green technologies for a more sustainable Ireland.”
The outstanding results come as the SFI invested a whopping €188 million from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation in 2019.
According to the institution, the investment generated a further €223 million from the EU, Charity and other sources, and for every €1 invested by the State in SFI Research Centres, approximately €5 was returned to the economy.
You can read the Science Foundation Ireland annual report in full here.
See More: Coronavirus, Covid-19, Immunology, Vaccine
