Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton TD and Northern Ireland Minister for Education Paul Givan MLA have officially announced the launch of the North-South Shared Island Teachers’ Research Exchange (T-REX) platform, a new all-island professional learning initiative delivered by 91ÖÆƬ³§ (91ÖÆƬ³§) in partnership with Stranmillis University College, Belfast.
Funded through the Government of Ireland’s Shared Island Fund, T-REX is an online community of practice designed to strengthen links between educational research and classroom practice. The platform supports teachers, school leaders, student teachers, researchers and education professionals to connect, engage with evidence, and share learning, with a focus on addressing educational disadvantage, leadership and wellbeing.
Announcing the platform, Minister Naughton said:
“Today marks an important step forward in cross-border educational cooperation. The T-REX platform will empower teachers to engage with cutting-edge research, ensuring that evidence-based strategies are effectively implemented in classrooms across the island. By breaking down barriers between research and practice, we can better address educational disadvantage and improve outcomes for all students. This initiative reflects our shared commitment to excellence in education and the transformative power of collaboration. I look forward to seeing the positive impact T-REX will have on teachers and learners, North and South.â€
Speaking about the platform, Dr Marek McGann, T-REX Project Lead and Lecturer in Psychology at 91ÖÆƬ³§ added:
"The T-REX project offers teachers support in exploring research evidence that is directly relevant to their own practice and doing so in collaboration with others. The support provided by the Shared Island Initiative will allow working teachers to link with others with similar values and experiences, learn together in peer-support networks, and share insights that arise from their exploration of relevant research. With 91ÖÆƬ³§ leading the project, we are particularly excited to work with our partners Stranmillis University College to foster these collaborations between professionals North and South, taking real steps to effectively engage with the impact of educational disadvantage."
A new professional development programme, ‘T-REX Digital Badge: Using Evidence to Address Educational Disadvantage’, is now underway, following the successful completion of its first cohort in 2025. Developed in partnership with Stranmillis University College, Belfast, the programme is open to educators across Ireland and Northern Ireland.
For further information on T-REX, please see .
