Research

Research centres

University of Galway supports a large number of research centres related to sustainability and the environment, for example, The Ryan Institute is University of Galway’s largest research institute supporting 92 projects and 500 researchers to advance sustainability research and partnerships that contribute to the majority of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).‌

The Insight Centre for Data Analytics at the University of Galway contributes to several of the UNSDGs by leveraging data science to address key global challenges,  for example:  how the Centre is using data analytics to improve healthcare systems efficiency, developing smart city technologies that optimises urban infrastructure, Insight supporting climate and environmental monitoring and promoting innovation to support sustainable industrial growth. Read more about how Insight Centre Research is supporting the SDGs. 

University of Galway Research supporting the UN SDGs

As the research community at University of Galway continues to make significant contributions to achieving the goals of sustainable development, it is important that we recognise and record this work.

Consider how your research contributes to the UN SDGs and the associated targets and complete this short form: My Research and the UN SDGs

The information provided by you will be used to track progress and contribute to:

• Our commitment to increase research activity aligned to the SDGs across all colleges and research institutions, establishing a baseline of funded research projects aligned to the SDGs of over 60% by 2025 (University of Galway Sustainability Strategy 2021-2025).   

• University of Galway’s annual submission to the Times High Education (THE) University Impact Ranking

Distribution of SDG-related publications (sourced from Scopus)

A report on the distribution of University of Galway's SDG-related publications across all SDGs 1-16 sourced from Scopus is prepared annually by the Planning and Institutional Research Office.    The latest Analysis of University of Galway's Research Output aligned to the UN SDGs (2024) report  shows that University of Galway’s top output, by no. of publications, for the past 5 years is SDG 3: Good Health & Wellbeing, followed by SDG7: Affordable & Clean Energy, SDG 16: Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure and SDG 6: Clean Water & Sanitation. Other notable points, University of Galway has the highest percentage of their publications related to the SDGs in Ireland at 41.6% over the 5-year period 2019-2023. This is growing rapidly, particularly over the past 2 years and in the year 2023 they represent
42% of all publications. Those SDGs which have seen the highest growth rate over the period are SDG 13, SDG 15, and SDG 9.

Decarbonising research methods

In November 2022, two PhD students at University of Galway organised hybrid interdisciplinary workshops on the topic of Decarbonising Research Methods. 

The workshops included participation from approximately 40 researchers from all disciplines across universities in Ireland and further afield (Canada, Germany, North America and the United Kingdom). Participants had the opportunity to discuss the carbon management of their own research methodologies and advance ideas about how the research undertaken in their institutions could be decarbonised.