DSIS researcher Dr Ian Hughes was invited by the EU Commission’s Joint Research Centre to attend an expert workshop on “Evaluating transformative innovation policies: Emerging practices and challenges in monitoring, evaluation and policy learning for transformative goals” in Seville on March 12.
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The International Conference on World Philosophies, Meaning and Transformation was held October 30-31, 2025 at the University of Groningen – Campus Fryslân in the Netherlands.
It explored how global philosophical traditions address meaning, ethics, and transformation in the context of modern global challenges. Dr Ian Hughes made a presentation on behalf of DSIS entitled ‘Live Not by Lies – Transformation to Human Flourishing as Transformation to Authenticity’.
The conference was also shown a short video by twice former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese who spoke of the interconnectedness of the Japanese concept of 'Inochi' with the DSIS work on the 'Sacred Ordinary'.
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Dr Ian Hughes and Bob Grumiau of the DSIS team will be panelists on Climate Justice and Sustainability on Tuesday, Nov 25th (chaired by Dr Ger Mullally):
Programme for Tuesday, Nov 25th (see link below for full programme Nov 24-28):
9:40am – 10:50am: First Panel: Social Transformations and Inclusions.
10:50am -11.10am: Coffee Break
11:10am -12:20pm: Second Panel: Climate Justice and Sustainability: Dr Martin Galvin, Dr Liz Folan O’Connor, Dr Niall Dunphy, Dr Ian Hughes, Bob Grumiau - Chair: Dr Ger Mullally
12:20pm - 1:00pm: Lunch
1:00pm – 2:00pm: Keynote address: Professor Kathleen Lynch, UCD. Beyond Human Capitalist Education and Research: Epistemic and Affective Considerations
2:00pm - 3:10pm: Third Panel: Researching with marginalised and/or difficult pasts.
3:10pm – 3:30pm: Coffee Break
3:30pm – 4.40pm: Fourth Panel: Gender and feminisms: crafting and care.
4:40pm – 5:00pm: Closing Remarks
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On Wednesday, 15 October 2025, Maynooth University Social Sciences Institute (MUSSI)’s Research for Policy seminar series hosted Prof. Brian Ó Gallachóir (UCC/MaREI) and Ian Hughes (Department of Education & Youth; on secondment to UCC, supported by the EPA) for a hybrid session on how research and policy can work together, moving from one-off inputs to long-term, futures-oriented collaboration.
The speakers traced a 17-year journey from providing climate and energy modelling to underpinning policy via service-level agreements, co-producing policy (e.g. the 2015 Energy White Paper; carbon budgets), and building absorptive capacity in departments (training, tool handovers, and reverse secondments). They argued that climate action sits within a wider polycrisis, and that Ireland needs stronger, futures-oriented investment in education, social sciences and humanities alongside STEM, plus funding that enables community participation.
Sustainability Institute, Ellen Hutchins Building, University College Cork, Lee Road, Cork, Ireland T23 XE10 ,
