Industry driving key research in eLearning

A groundbreaking €2 million research project in the eLearning sector was launched today (Wednesday, July 5^th) by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin T.D. The programme will focus key research on delivering tangible, commercial progress in the development of next generation eLearning products and services for Irish elearning companies.

Launching the initiative, Minister Martin said “Ireland now has a core of excellent E-Learning companies with the capacity to absorb and benefit from the innovation that this programme will bring. It is particularly pleasing that the research agenda has come from the industry itself through the networking activity of the eLearning CEO forum. Ireland is in a strong position to compete in this global market - both from its geographical position between the US and Europe and also because it already has a cluster of established indigenous companies which have already been successful in winning global contracts”.

Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland said “Enterprise Ireland have worked with the eLearning CEO forum to develop a shared collaborative technology roadmap and research agenda for the industry. A cross-campus research team from NUI Galway led by the Digital Enterprise Research Group (DERI) was selected to carry out the programme of research covering Digital Rights Management, Data Integration and Delivery Platforms and Technologies. It will create a platform for the design, development and delivery of next generation eLearning content”.

Jonny Parkes, Managing Director, Electric Paper and participant in the eLearning CEO forum, says of the research project: “This excellent initiative makes it possible for Irish eLearning companies to get involved in medium term research that will help them to grow and develop internationally at a much greater pace and achieve success in world markets. By focusing on a common set of research goals the companies have come together as a group for the first time and this type of collaborative activity can only be a good thing for the long term success of the e-Learning industry in Ireland.”