Irish engagement for EU presidency and national strategy for higher ed and R&I (J. Lawless to EUA)

"We campaigned for the elections because we felt that education, research, innovation and science are fundamental to everything we do as a society and an economy. We thought it deserves its place at the cabinet table", says James Lawless, Irish Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, on 28/02/2025.

He is speaking at the closing session of the 2025 EUA Learning & Teaching Forum, taking place in Cork (Ireland) on 27 and 28/02. The Minister was appointed on 23/01/2025, following the 2024 Irish general election in November 2024.

The Ministry for Higher Education was established in 2020 in Ireland. Before that, the higher education portfolio was fused with education. "Under the Irish Constitution, we have a limited number of 15 Ministers, so it wasn’t easy to guarantee a place for higher education in the cabinet. We had tough conversations, but I am proud to carry the torch," reports James Lawless.

"It is important that the Minister of Higher Education's first visit is to a European universities event. We want him to be successful, so let’s try to work…