Póstaeir san Oireachtas (PsO) Shortlisted for the Irish Education Awards 2026!

The Sure Network and Atlantic Technological University are proud to announce that Póstaeir san Oireachtas (PsO) has been shortlisted for the Best Career Impact Strategy Award  – Employability, Access & Skills Development at the 2026 Irish Education Awards.

What is PsO?
United under the theme ‘Research for Change’, PsO brought 30 undergraduate students from 14 different HEI together. Following an intensive selection and training process, PsO participants pitched their research directly to ministers, senators, T.D’s and policymakers in Leinster House, demonstrating the incredible potential of undergraduate research to inform policy and shape the future of Irish innovation.

• Watch 3 min PsO student videos here, explaining their research
  • View the PsO posters and abstracts published in 𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗘-𝗝 here (with guest editors Dr Anne M Friel and Dr. Brigid Hooban)
  • Read PsO Student testimonials here

Who was Involved?
PsO was led by ATU lecturer, Irish Lead for Posters in Brussels, and SURE Network chair, Dr Therese Montgomery. The multi-institutional PsO National Committee included ATU’s (Dr Brigid Hooban, Dr Cormac Quigley, Dr Eva Campion), Dundalk Institute of Technology‘s IT (Dr Sinéad Loughran), Technological University Dublin‘s (Dr James Walshe, PhD), Technological University of the Shannon‘s (Dr. Anne Marie O’Brien PFHEA), and South East Technological University‘s (Dr Edel McNeela), and operates as a subcommittee of the Irish SURE Network. The national nomination process was supported by 14 institutional advisors across participating HEIs.

PsO 2025 was championed by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation & Science James Lawless T.D.; PsO Parliamentary & Government Engagement Advisor Denis Naughten and ATU President Dr Orla Flynn. Sponsored by the Cathaoirleach of the Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation & Science Erin Mc Greehan T.D., PsO was organised with the support of the Houses of the Oireachtas Public Engagement Team.

What happens next?
PsO is one of five Posters in Parliament events taking place across Europe in 2025/2026, ahead of Posters in the European parliament, a multinational event taking place in the European Parliament in Brussels on the 10th Nov 2026. To find out how you might take part and represent Ireland at this prestigious event  please check out the call for abstracts here or contact therese.montgomery@atu.ie

Posters in Brussels is an Erasmus+ Higher Education Cooperation Partnership initiative dedicated to enhancing undergraduate research, dissemination, and civic engagement across Europe.

The award winner will be announced at the Education Awards Gala at the Johnstown Estate on 16 April. Wish us luck! 🍀