An Institute with a world-class reputation that contributes to the creation of positive public policy across the life course through scholarship and educational programmes that form the next generation of change agents and that actively engage the public it serves. The life course is an appropriate paradigm to analyse and evaluate capacities, vulnerabilities and system constraints with a view to formulating new narratives that help to inform more integrated discourse and public policy in respect of a range of population groups – including children and families, older people and people with disabilities.
Five core values provide the philosophical orientation of the Institute for Lifecourse and Society.
A commitment to passionate scholarship based on principles of social justice and social inclusion
The valuing of human potential and capability through the adoption of strengths-based perspectives
Acknowledging each individual’s right to autonomy, self-determination and, as needed, support to attain their full potential
Maintaining a focus on the person as the focal point for policies and practices
Recognizing the inter-dependency of people’s lives and the importance of social and community engagement as a means of advancing humanity
Through a combination of our research and community engagement programmes, we seek to raise awareness of key challenges and constraints affecting different sections of the population, and potentially marginalised groups, at key points in their lives. We work in collaboration with public and community and voluntary agencies to influence the development of new policy frameworks and their implementation. We also work with partners within the University to implement new policies around innovative teaching and research approaches. The core values of the University of Galway are intrinsic to this work, and inform our goals related to Excellence, Respect, Openness and Sustainability.
Excellence Goals
Research in ILAS embraces an interdisciplinary commitment to address critical gaps in scientific evidence across our six focus areas. Tackling scholarly questions, and key challenges in policy and practice, we actively contribute to international knowledge on our target population groups and life-course related topics with a view to generating positive impact and change. In order to achieve Excellence, ILAS will pursue two goals:
ILAS will benchmark its outputs in research, teaching and contribution to community/society, against models of best practice
ILAS will establish an independent monitoring process to assess the Institute’s ongoing levels of success in scholarship and contribution
Respect Goals
ILAS is founded on an ethos of respect for dignity and diversity, and the potential and capability of individuals and groups to engage and shape all levels of society. This is affirmed and implemented through a commitment to reciprocity co-working, externally with individuals, communities and other stakeholders, and internally between researchers, academics and professional support staff. In terms of Respect, ILAS will achieve two specific goals:
ILAS will establish an internal ‘Respectful Practice Model’ within the Institute, which will ensure ongoing awareness of personal and collective responsibilities towards others and how we interact with each other
ILAS will develop an outward facing Respect Model that supports our connection with those outside the Research Institute and how we embrace our role with civic society
Openness Goals
Within ILAS, community engagement is pursued as a core means of enhancing life-course experiences and outcomes for individuals and societies. Through inclusive and collaborative partnerships, it is also an essential mechanism to ensure the relevance of our work to people’s lives, and to help support the experiences and voices of those we work with across the six focus areas. To maximise Openness, ILAS will work towards two goals:
ILAS will inform and lead the development and implementation of innovative practice and education programmes that address key social and policy challenges, while being accessible to a wide range of individuals and groups from a diversity of backgrounds
ILAS will further it’s research for impact mission, through the development of models of ‘research led teaching and teaching led research’ that is multi-disciplinary and moves away from siloed models of research activity, with a view to full inclusion
Sustainability Goals
ILAS endeavours to support the development of sustainable relationships, communities, systems and policies that positively influence the lives of individuals and groups who we work with. ILAS also strives to sustain its own impact across its four work strands as an inclusive, interdisciplinary research institute. To secure Sustainability, ILAS has two goals:
ILAS will work to ensure greater external alignment of its activities with the UN Sustainable Development Goals
ILAS will focus on ensuring the future viability of the Institute, and its work, as a sustainable model for our University
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