About the Initiative

The mission of Community-Academic Research Links (CARL) is to provide independent, participatory research support in response to concerns expressed by civil society. Each year it invites non-profit voluntary or community organisations to collaborate with students and supervisors from across the university on research topics generated by the community, and involving a wide range of academic disciplines.

CARL is a ‘Science Shop’, a 40 year European tradition of some of the highest ranked Universities in Europe and worldwide that are part of the Living Knowledge Network. As one of the first to be established in the Republic of Ireland, CARL’s community research partnerships began in September 2010, and in a short time it has produced research that generates much interest outside the university walls, often impacting government policy.