DSIS researchers Professor Edmond Byrne and Dr Ian Hughes attended the International Sustainability Transitions Conference which was held in Zurich from August 31 to September 2, 2026. The conference theme ‘Hope – in challenging times’ explored in practical terms how researchers’ individual and collective work can cultivate environmental sustainability and social justice – even in times marked by armed conflicts, political polarization and mounting planetary crises.
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DSIS researcher Dr Ian Hughes and colleagues from the Department of Education and Youth have published a new paper in the journal Administration titled "Developing evidence for policy and practice in the Department of Education and Youth".
The paper outlines the strategic approach being adopted by the Department of Education and Youth to deliver on its ambition to increase the role of research, evidence and data in shaping positive and effective educational experiences for all children and young people.
Ian works under a unique secondment agreement between the Department of Education and Youth and UCC, funded by the Environmental Protection Agency.
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On June 02 and 03, the DSIS project hosted a two-day workshop on 'Dynamics of Transformation: Multi Societal System Transformation to Address the Polycrisis' at University College Cork.
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The DSIS Project team is delighted to welcome members of the DSIS Advisory Group and other experts to University College Cork to discuss the ‘Dynamics of Transformation: Multi Societal System Transformation to Address the Polycrisis’ on June 2-3, 2026. The outcome of the workshop will be a Declaration on Deep Societal Transformation in a Time of Polycrisis. For more information see the programme: DSIS Workshop Dynamics of Transformation June 2026
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DSIS PhD student Bob Grumiau and Prof Kelly Salchow MacArthur hosted a collaging workshop titled "Inhabiting Landscapes Meaningfully and Sensually" in the Sustainable Futures Lab, UCC this week.
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The DSIS team is delighted to announce the publication of the Open Access book 'Human Flourishing Across Cultures and Disciplines: Paradigms of Well-Being and Development', edited by Professor Andrej Zwitter, a long-time collaborator of the DSIS Project.
It includes two chapters from DSIS researchers: 'Reimagining a World Fit for our Humanity' by Dr Ian Hughes, and 'Towards a Feminist and Radical Democratic Theory of Human Flourishing' by Professor Maggie O'Neill.
Both chapters, as well as the book itself, are available for download (Open Access): https://www.bloomsburycollections.com/monograph?docid=b-9781350547841
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Join our Collaging Workshop "Inhabiting Landscapes - Meaningfully and Sensually" on April 23rd, 2026 from 09.00 - 12.00, followed by a light lunch. The workshop will be led by DSIS doctoral student Bob Grumiau and Kelly Salchow MacArthur, Professor of Graphic Design at Michigan State University, and an Honorary Visiting Researcher at the School of Education, UCC.
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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
Read on ucc.ie
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 ,
