Courses
Digitalisation of Systems
Streamline operations and unlock new insights across the R&I lifecycle
In this strategic priority area, we aim to streamline research operations with smart, integrated systems to enable data-driven decisions and seamless integration.
Key benefits of digitalising R&I systems:
- Operational Efficiency: Streamline workflows, reduce duplication, and minimise manual effort across research, admissions, ethics, and engagement processes.
- Improved Data Quality & Integration: Automated data flows and centralised platforms ensure consistency, reduce errors, and connect seamlessly with existing systems like Banner, Outlook, and SharePoint.
- Enhanced Visibility & Collaboration: Increase discoverability, foster interdisciplinary partnerships, and strengthen stakeholder engagement.
- Better Decision-Making: Integrated systems provide real-time insights, metrics, and reporting capabilities that support strategic planning and compliance.
- Compliance & Governance: Digital platforms support adherence to institutional policies, funder requirements, and legal standards, ensuring robust research governance.
- User-Centric Experience: Modernised interfaces and personalised workflows improve the experience for researchers, applicants, reviewers, and staff.
Research Information Management System (RIMS)
PURE is a research information management system (RIMS) that enables universities to collect, manage and showcase their research output. Pure can be customised by adding different modules which serve a variety of functions. The Pure system at ATU currently comprises two modules: Profiles and Award Management. More are in development.
The Profiles Module was the first module to be launched for ATU in May 2024. The module plays a crucial role in presenting comprehensive academic and research profiles for faculty members and researchers and acts as a central hub for showcasing academic achievements, publications, projects, research impact and professional connections.
Benefits of the Profiles Module to researchers:
Increased Visibility
Profiles consolidate all academic contributions, making them easily discoverable by peers, collaborators and funding bodies.
Automatic Data Integration
The system pulls data from Scopus, ORCID and other databases ensuring profiles remain up to date with minimal manual input, reducing administrative burden.
Collaboration Opportunities
Facilitates networking by connecting researchers with shared interests, enabling interdisciplinary partnerships within and beyond the university through the global ‘Experts Community Search’ function.
Research Impact & Metrics
Provides insights into citation counts, collaboration networks and funding trends, helping researchers to track their influence and identify opportunities for growth
Currently, there are over 300 ATU researcher profiles hosted on the system. You can request a PURE research profile by contacting PURE@atu.ie.
The second module of the Pure system is the Award Management Module which will:
- Streamline and integrate all research applications, awards and project
- Dramatically reduce duplication and the administrative burden on researchers
- Improve data consistency and simplify reporting processes
- Ensure compliance with funders and other agencies
The Award Management module setup is almost complete, and it is currently undergoing testing. It is planned to be made available to the research offices in Autumn 2025.
Postgraduate Student Management System (CRM Recruit)
The CRM Recruit project plays a central role in modernising the Postgraduate Online Application. This system streamlines how prospective students apply to postgraduate programs by offering a more intuitive, efficient, and personalized experience. By integrating the CRM Recruit App with existing platforms such as Banner, the application process benefits from seamless data flow and improved operational efficiency. The Engage Recruit team is also developing customized workflows and dashboards to support admissions staff, ensuring timely communication and better applicant tracking. This initiative reflects ATU’s commitment to enhancing engagement and delivering a more connected, responsive service to future postgraduates.
CRM Engage for Enterprise Engagement
The CRM Engage project is a strategic initiative designed to transform how the university manages relationships with students, staff, and external stakeholders. At its core, the project aims to implement Microsoft Dynamics as the centralised Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, serving as a hub for capturing and organising external engagement data, streamlining reporting processes, and ensuring compliance with regulatory and funding requirements.
By leveraging the capabilities of Microsoft Dynamics, CRM Engage will improve data management and communication across the university, enabling more efficient tracking of staff interactions with external stakeholders. This centralised approach will enhance cross-departmental coordination, reduce duplication of efforts, and support a more unified strategy for stakeholder engagement
– Aidan Higgins, Projects Coordinator
Additionally, CRM Engage will empower ATU to identify and manage strategic partnerships more effectively, aligning engagements with the university’s strategic priorities and providing enhanced reporting functionality. Ultimately, the system will support strategic decision-making through better data insights, helping ATU build stronger, more impactful relationships across its academic and external communities.
Ethics Applications
The Research Ethics application system provides a structured, transparent, and secure process for managing ethics reviews. Applications are submitted electronically through the designated online portal and tracked via a unique identifier within the University’s Data Management System (DMS). The workflow ensures that submissions are screened for completeness, assessed for risk, and allocated appropriately to expedited or full committee review depending on the nature of the project. Reviewer feedback is gathered anonymously and stored securely, and all decisions are formally communicated to applicants in writing.
Throughout the process, the Research Ethics Office (REO) oversees administration, safeguarding compliance with institutional policy, Irish and European legislation, and best practice in research governance. The system is further supported by Microsoft Power Automate, a cloud-based automation platform that streamlines administrative processes and reduces manual effort. Using a low-code, drag-and-drop interface, Power Automate enables the creation of workflows triggered by specific events—such as the receipt of an email or the upload of a file. This includes automated updates to applicants, assigned reviewers, and administrators to track the progression of each application in real time.
By integrating seamlessly with Microsoft services like Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint, as well as a wide range of third-party applications, the platform enhances efficiency, ensures timely communication, and maintains consistency across all stages of the University Research Ethics application process.
Visit Research Ethics to learn more about the application process.
