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National Suicide Research Foundation launches new six-year strategic plan
Expanding real-time suicide surveillance nationally and globally, implementing the ongoing delivery of high-quality impactful research and ensuring that the research undertaken by the National Suicide Research Foundation (NSRF) continues to inform policy and practice are amongst the strategic aims and ambitions of the new NSRF Strategic Plan (2025-2030): Leading Research, Shaping Change, launched today in University College Cork (UCC).
The NSRF is a centre for excellence nationally and internationally in the field of suicide and self-harm prevention. The development of this strategic plan sets out key priority areas and research topics to guide the NSRF over the coming six years.
The strategy outlines the NSRF’s revised vision, mission and values, building on the consistent and high-impact work by the NSRF since its establishment in 1994, which is to support the reduction of suicide and self-harm in Ireland and globally, through impactful research. The strategy has been co-produced in consultation with key stakeholders and research partners, including those working in policy and those with lived experience of suicide and self-harm.
The strategic plan outlines five key priority areas to guide the research activities of the NSRF over the coming year. These are:
- Research Excellence - Build, strengthen and lead excellent research with integrity, involving innovative, impactful, open and engaged research.
- Surveillance - Further develop data systems and champion the role of monitoring of self-harm and suicide.
- Impact - Inform policy, practice and perspectives on suicide prevention by strengthening and expanding the impact of our work.
- Communication - Increase the impact of NSRF’s research through dissemination and communication.
- Organisational Strength – Ensure that the NSRF is well-resourced. Flexible and strategically positioned.
The strategy will support the ongoing activities of the NSRF in leading out on key research across a number of areas, including upstream approaches to suicide prevention, life course epidemiology, workplace mental health, social determinants of suicide and self-harm, postvention and suicide bereavement, education and training, service improvement and evaluation, and surveillance and real-time data.
In 2023, the NSRF and UCC entered into a formal Memorandum of Collaboration. This Memorandum of Collaboration supports a vision of enhancing and sustaining capacity, knowledge and quality in research and policy development into suicide, self-harm and related mental health and social factors. It will improve cohesion and integration between the different research and work streams in both organisations, reducing fragmentation and improving the potential for greater research innovation and joint positions. The goal is to develop a leadership role in interdisciplinary collaboration in mental health and suicide prevention research at national and international level.
Dr Eve Griffin, Chief Executive Officer, National Suicide Research Foundation, Adjunct Professor, School of Public Health, University College Cork, said: "This strategic plan, leading research, shaping change, provides a roadmap for the NSRF and our collaborators, to continue to deliver research which is impactful and transformative for the prevention of suicide in Ireland and globally. The strategy is underpinned by collaboration, and we are committed to generating evidence which is co-produced by a range of partners and collaborators and with people with lived experience."
Professor Ella Arensman, Chief Scientist at the National Suicide Research Foundation, Head of the School of Public Health and Professor of Public Mental Health at University College Cork: "Since its establishment in 1994, the NSRF’s research has had significant impact on suicide and self-harm prevention policies and best practice at local, national and international level. The NSRF’s Strategic Plan, 2025-2030, will further strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration in suicide prevention research to improve and expand evidence-based intervention and prevention programmes in a changing environment."