SDG 16 : Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
UL’s Annual Sustainability Report 2025 shares selected examples of progress towards SDG 16, which promotes peaceful, inclusive societies, access to justice and accountable institutions. Universities contribute through research and education in law, governance and human rights, engagement with communities and policymakers, and transparent institutional practices.
In 2025, University of Limerick (UL) worked to strengthen accountability and inclusive institutions through governance reform, changes to how research is assessed and practical improvements to institutional processes. UL researchers also evaluated Keep Up Hope, a resource presenting children’s experiences of parental imprisonment through their own artwork and stories.
Governance and Leadership
UL continued a major programme of governance and cultural reform through its Renewal Plan, translating recommendations from external reviews and oversight processes into changes to policies, accountability and institutional practice. By the end of the 2025 reporting period, 51 of the 154 recommendations being tracked had been completed, supported by independent external validation of progress. UL also launched a three-year Action Plan to reform research assessment, moving towards broader approaches that can recognise different forms of research contribution across disciplines and career stages.
Within the Faculty of Education and Health Sciences, the first phase of a Quality Management System established documented processes, ownership and internal review arrangements for Faculty Office operations. More than 20 business processes and standard operating procedures were developed and implemented, and 13 staff were trained as internal auditors.
Research and Innovation
The Keep Up Hope project brought children's experiences of parental imprisonment into research through their own artwork and self-narrated stories. Ten children from four families in Limerick contributed through the Bedford Row Family Project, while an interdisciplinary UL and University College Cork research team evaluated the approach and is examining how the findings could inform future supports for children and families affected by imprisonment.
Highlights
- 529 publications linked to this goal in UL Pure, 2020–2025.
- 38th globally for Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions — THE Impact Rankings 2025.
- Children shared experiences of parental imprisonment through their own artwork and stories.
Stories
4 stories behind this year's progress
Building stronger governance through the EHS Quality Management System
When operational knowledge rests with individual staff members, processes can be difficult to follow consistently or transfer between colleagues. In 2025, University of Limerick’s (UL) Faculty of Education and Health Sciences (EHS) continued implementing a Quality Management System (QMS) for its Faculty Office operations.
More than 20 Business Processes and Standard Operating Procedures were developed and implemented, with clear ownership and formal document controls designed to ensure that processes can be followed, reviewed and updated consistently.
The Faculty also established a network of Process Owners and Internal Auditors, with 13 staff trained as Internal Auditors and supported by audit guides, templates and checklists. A Quality Improvement Plan was introduced to track audit findings and opportunities for improvement, alongside a wider governance and assurance framework.
The work provides the foundation for a second phase extending the approach across the wider Faculty of Education and Health Sciences.
Impact
Strong institutions depend not only on policies, but on people knowing who is responsible for what and being able to see how processes are intended to work. By documenting key processes, assigning ownership and introducing internal audit and review mechanisms, the first phase of the EHS QMS has put structures in place to reduce reliance on individual knowledge and support greater consistency and accountability across Faculty Office operations.
By creating clear processes and shared accountability, the EHS QMS is helping us build safer workplaces and stronger governance across the Faculty.
People involved: Ann Marie Kennedy, Accreditation, Quality and Compliance Officer; Adrienne Horan, Educational Technologist; Faculty of Education and Health Sciences leadership, Process Owners and Internal Auditors.
Also contributes to: SDG 08 Decent work and economic growth
Changing how research is assessed at UL
Publication measures such as citation counts and journal impact factors do not capture every form of research contribution. In May 2025, University of Limerick (UL) launched its Action Plan for the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA), setting out a programme to broaden how research is assessed and recognised through to 2027.
UL's Action Plan forms part of an international movement towards broader and more qualitative approaches to research assessment. Implementation is being led by UL's Reform of Research Assessment Implementation Committee, with representation from all four faculties, the Glucksman Library, Human Resources and the Research Office.
The work builds on changes already introduced at UL, including disciplinary research norms and recognition of arts practice outputs in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, a revised Prestigious Publishers List, the Research Career and Development Employment Framework, and the President's Research Excellence and Impact Awards. The Action Plan commits UL to continuing this reform programme through to 2027.
Impact
Research assessment influences what kinds of work are recognised and rewarded within a university. By moving beyond a narrow reliance on publication metrics, UL's Action Plan aims to create a more equitable approach that can recognise different forms of research contribution across disciplines and career stages.
People involved: Christina Morin, Chair, Reform of Research Assessment Implementation Committee and UL institutional representative to CoARA; representatives from UL's four faculties; Glucksman Library; Human Resources; Research Office.
Also contributes to: SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
Implementing governance reform through UL’s Renewal Plan
During 2025, University of Limerick (UL) began implementing a programme of governance and cultural reform through its Renewal Plan, developed in response to recommendations arising from external reviews and oversight processes.
During 2025, UL revised and published its Property Acquisition Policy, introduced a revised Dignity and Respect Policy and developed a Governance Handbook setting out how the Governing Authority operates. Work also included development of a Cultural Charter and further reform activity relating to protected disclosures, conflicts of interest and employee disciplinary procedures.
The Renewal Plan also introduced a structured system for turning recommendations into defined actions, with named owners, target completion dates and evidence requirements. A dedicated Renewal Programme Management Office was established in 2025 and oversees implementation, while Deloitte Ireland LLP was appointed in July 2025 to provide independent external validation of progress.
By the end of the 2025 reporting period, the programme was tracking 154 recommendations. Fifty-one recommendations had been completed, with a further 24 formally superseded following review.
Impact
When weaknesses in governance and organisational culture are identified, meaningful reform depends on changing how an institution operates rather than simply accepting recommendations. During 2025, UL translated external findings into changes to policies, oversight and accountability, while introducing independent validation to test whether recommendations have been completed. The Renewal Plan remains ongoing, but 51 recommendations had been completed by the end of the 2025 reporting period.
People involved: Renewal Programme Management Office; University of Limerick Executive Committee; Governing Authority; Audit and Risk Committee; Higher Education Authority; Deloitte Ireland LLP.
Keep Up Hope: bringing children’s experiences of parental imprisonment into view
Having a parent in prison can affect a child's social and emotional wellbeing, health, education and economic circumstances. Yet children's own experiences of parental imprisonment remain comparatively underrepresented in research, particularly in Ireland.
Keep Up Hope was developed by Kids' Own Publishing in partnership with the Irish Penal Reform Trust to bring those experiences into view. Rather than adults telling children's stories for them, the project used arts-based workshops to enable children to share their experiences through their own artwork and self-narrated stories.
Ten children from four families involved with the Bedford Row Family Project in Limerick contributed to the project, with additional input from children and families during visits to Shelton Abbey Open Prison. An interdisciplinary research team from University of Limerick (UL) and University College Cork evaluated both the creative process and the resulting resource, interviewing participants at different stages to understand their expectations and experiences.
The evaluation examines participants’ experiences of the creative process and resource, including perceived benefits, limitations and lessons for future support. Keep Up Hope was launched by Senator Lynn Ruane at The Ark Arts and Cultural Centre in Dublin on 15 May 2025.
Impact
Children can experience the consequences of parental imprisonment while having little opportunity for their own voices to be heard. Keep Up Hope gives children a way to describe those experiences in their own words and artwork, while the accompanying research is building evidence that could help shape future supports for children and families affected by imprisonment.
People don't realise that there are a lot of children who have someone they love in prison. It can be hard to talk about it, but we'd like other people to know what it's like.
People involved: Lynn Fenton and Dr Daragh Bradshaw, University of Limerick; Dr Fiona Donson and Dr Aisling Parkes, University College Cork; Kids’ Own Publishing; Irish Penal Reform Trust; Bedford Row Family Project; participating children and families; Community Foundation Ireland’s Toy Show Appeal.
Also contributes to: SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
