Open-Letter Defending Public Research for the Public Good

The Climate Justice Universities Union (CJUU) fully endorses an open letter to the Irish Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless expressing deep concern about Ireland’s new industry-focused public research strategy. All members of the CJUU are encouraged to sign this open letter and distribute it among other networks and communities. Members based in Ireland are encouraged to also forward the letter to their TDs and express concern. 

As an international collective mobilising for global solidarity, CJUU invites members outside of Ireland who are also concerned about the corporate capture of public research and democratic processes to support this campaign and also sign the letter.  Corporate capture of public research in Ireland has broad impacts on the future not just for those in Ireland and not just for those working in universities. 

The open letter expresses deep concern about the commercial, profit-seeking priorities of the Irish research funding agency (Taighde Éireann / Research Ireland) in its recently published strategy. The strategy and its strong private-sector bias is an attack on research for the public good and other non-commercialisable research including the arts, humanities and social sciences. The strategy represents “an assault on Ireland’s research ecosystem”, that “weakens academic freedom” and “is a threat to democratic processes”.

The CJUU thanks the members of its Irish Higher Education Policy Working Group for their involvement in drafting the open letter and appreciates the support of all members who have already signed the letter and distributed it among their networks. The CJUU also appreciates the broad coalition of support from other organisations, including trade unions and civic organisations, who are also encouraging people to sign this open letter.

PLEASE SIGN HERE https://openletter.earth/concern-about-research-irelands-strategy-and-programme-plan-e6a2b138