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UCC launches Future Humanities Institute
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- Future Humanities Institute to address the human dimensions of today’s most urgent global challenges.
- New institute to drive collaboration across arts, culture, social sciences, environmental sciences and technology.
- Humanities-led research aims to shape policy and support a more equitable and sustainable future.
University College Cork (UCC) has launched the Future Humanities Institute (FHI), marking a major milestone in its commitment to arts and humanities research.
The Future Humanities Institute (FHI), a flagship UCC Futures Institute, is an ambitious, interdisciplinary research community dedicated to understanding and shaping the human dimensions of today’s most pressing global challenges.
The role of arts and humanities in addressing society challenges
The launch, tilted Ideas into Action, brought together researchers, policymakers and leaders from across the higher education and research sector to explore the vital role of arts and humanities in addressing today’s most pressing challenges.
At the launch, Professor Yvon Bonenfant, Director of Future Humanities Institute, said: “It can be tempting to overlook the role of the arts and humanities in responding to issues such as climate change, social unrest, artificial intelligence, social well-being, innovation and geopolitics. Yet, these global grand challenges are fundamentally human ones. They demand creative responses. They also demand new insight into the values, histories, identities and belief systems that guide collective action.”
“Our power lies in combining creativity and analysis to engage deeply with the challenges shaping our world and to propose new ways of thinking that open pathways to real change,” Professor Bonenfant said.
Although newly launched at national level, FHI is built on an internationally recognised research ecosystem, with highly ranked subject areas, a proven record in securing major national and European funding, and strong partnerships with cultural organisations, communities, and industry.
UCC President Professor John O’Halloran MRIA said: “Today marks a significant milestone for University College Cork and for arts and humanities in Ireland. The launch of the Future Humanities Institute reflects the growing importance of humanities-led research in addressing the complex challenges facing society. By working in meaningful dialogue with science, engineering and public policy, humanities can help inform decision-making, broaden understanding, and contribute to shaping more just, inclusive and sustainable futures for all.”
Dr Domhnall Hernon, Global Lead of the EY Intelligent Realities Lab, delivered the keynote address, Why the future of innovation requires applied imagination. Setting the tone for the day, his remarks framed a series of conversations on how humanities research drives innovation, social change and new ways of thinking. Contributors from across UCC showcased work in climate justice, digital cultures, multilingualism, neuroscience, cultural heritage and creative practice, highlighting the breadth and impact of research supported by the Future Humanities Institute.
A key constituent of UCC Futures
The Future Humanities Institute is a key constituent of UCC Futures, an ambitious programme of research prioritisation with the goal of securing our future through research excellence.
Professor John F. Cryan MRIA, UCC Vice President for Research and Innovation, said: “The UCC’s Futures Framework recognises the essential role of the arts and humanities in responding to global grand challenges. By bringing together expertise from across disciplines, the Future Humanities Institute will build on UCC’s strengths to lead major interdisciplinary collaborations, deepen engagement with national and international partners, and help develop the research capacity needed for Ireland’s future social, cultural and environmental resilience.”
Professor Stephen Graham, Head of UCC College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, said: “Our researchers are shaping public policy, enriching cultural life, expanding our capacity for thinking and feeling and contributing to national and international debates that matter. The Future Humanities Institute will extend this work further, supporting new approaches, deeper cross-sector collaboration and the translation of ideas into tangible societal impact. I would like to acknowledge Professor Yvon Bonenfant and colleagues for their leadership in establishing the Institute.”
The Future Humanities Institute advances UCC’s mission through two connected pillars: the Radical Humanities Laboratory, which enables experimental and practice-based research, and interdisciplinary research clusters focused on key contemporary challenges across areas including eco-humanities; digital cultures, new media and cultural analytics; Irish language and culture; and arts research and practice.
Further information about the Future Humanities Institute is available at www.ucc.ie/en/future-humanities