Research, Development & Innovation

The Dargan Centre

SETU Carlow invested over €5 million in a purpose built Research, Development and Innovation Building, the Dargan Centre.  This investment reinforces and strengthens the University’s commitment to high quality research, development and innovation (RDI) activities. 

The Dargan Centre is a 2,500 sq metre, three storey facility, which provides a focused, vibrant, supportive and nurturing environment for enabling and expanding on-campus RDI activities. The Centre is comprised of the Research & Commercialisation Support Centre, Postgraduate Studies, lecture theatres, meeting rooms, specialist science and design laboratories, project rooms and incubation facilities, along with designated areas for each of the University’s Centres of Research and Enterprise (CORE) research groups. 

The University’s Centres of Research include enviroCORE, designCORE, gameCOREengCOREhealthCORE, Rehabilitative Sciences Research Centre and Business & Humanities Research Group.

The consolidation of research into one central location has long been viewed as a structure which leverages outputs, particularly through peer interaction and informal networking.  As new funding initiatives including Horizon 2020 and other collaborative programmes start to focus on more interdisciplinary projects that combine research from different thematic areas, such frameworks that enhance co-location communication become a key factor for successful research.  The physical design and bespoke layout of the Dargan Centre delivers this structure which is conducive to supporting RDI, Centres of Research & Enterprise (COREs) and other research groups alongside entrepreneurs and campus companies, thus providing an ideal environment for encouraging interaction and networking.

As Taoiseach Enda Kenny said in his address at the naming of the Centre “This new facility will foster the commercial and development needs of" SETU Carlow’s "industry partners and it will further stimulate an existing culture of innovation.”