THE PROVOST, FELLOWS, FOUNDATION SCHOLARS & THE OTHER MEMBERS OF BOARD, OF THE COLLEGE OF THE HOLY & UNDIVIDED TRINITY OF QUEEN ELIZABETH NEAR DUBLIN

Their core work

Trinity College Dublin is Ireland's leading research university, operating across an exceptionally broad range of disciplines — from advanced materials science and biomedical engineering to social sciences, digital technologies, and energy systems. Their H2020 portfolio reveals deep strength in fundamental research (ERC grants, Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowships) combined with applied work in drug delivery, graphene-based devices, corneal regeneration, and critical infrastructure resilience. They function as both a training powerhouse — producing PhD researchers through structured programmes — and a technology originator, particularly in nanomaterials, biomaterials, and sensors. With 255 EU-funded projects and over EUR 154 million in EC funding, they are one of the most active and versatile research institutions in Europe.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2014–2018), Trinity focused on research training, open access infrastructure, industrial collaboration, and foundational materials work in graphene and biomaterials. By the later period (2019–2022), a clear shift emerged toward sustainability, citizen science, public engagement, and resilience — reflecting broader EU priorities. Their materials science matured from exploratory work into deeper specialization (2D materials, hydrogels), while health research pivoted toward chronic disease self-management and palliative care rather than purely biomarker-driven diagnostics.

Trinity is moving decisively toward mission-driven research — sustainability, public participation, and chronic health management — while maintaining deep technical roots in nanomaterials and biomedical engineering.

How they like to work

Trinity leads slightly more often than it follows: 134 projects as coordinator versus 117 as participant, giving it a 53% coordination rate — unusually high for a university. With 1,634 unique consortium partners across 65 countries, they operate as a major European hub rather than staying within a closed circle of repeat collaborators. This makes them an accessible and experienced consortium partner, comfortable both driving large multi-partner projects and contributing specialist expertise to others' initiatives.

Trinity has built one of the widest collaboration networks in H2020, working with 1,634 distinct partner organizations across 65 countries. Their reach spans all of Europe with strong connections beyond — a true pan-European hub with global links.

What sets them apart

Trinity combines Ireland's strongest research base with an unusually balanced profile: they are equally capable of leading frontier ERC research and coordinating large applied consortia. Their rare combination of advanced materials science, biomedical engineering, and digital expertise — all under one roof — makes them a versatile anchor partner for multidisciplinary proposals. For consortium builders, Trinity also brings strong open science credentials and an established public engagement infrastructure, increasingly important for Horizon Europe impact requirements.

Highlights from their portfolio

• JointPrinting
  EUR 2M ERC-funded project coordinated by Trinity on 3D printing of cell-laden biomimetic materials for joint regeneration — a flagship biomedical engineering effort.
• PEDAL
  EUR 1.45M project on plasmonic enhancement for luminescent solar devices, running 6 years (2015–2021), showing long-term commitment to energy-relevant materials research.
• OpenAIRE2020
  Major pan-European open access infrastructure project — positions Trinity at the heart of Europe's research data and open science ecosystem.