Education Minister and Ireland's Education and
Youth Minister Hildegarde Naughton have officially announced the
North-South Shared Island Teachers' Research Exchange (T-REX)
platform, an innovative initiative designed to strengthen
evidence-informed teaching.
T-REX is a digital professional learning community that connects
educators, including teachers, researchers and other education
professionals, across Northern Ireland and Ireland. The platform
supports teachers to access research, share ideas and examples of
best practice helping to bridge the gap between educational
research and classroom practice.
The T-REX platform provides:
- a space for educators to critically reflect on educational
research together with other stakeholders;
- practical summaries of research findings to make evidence
easier to apply in classrooms;
- a professionally curated platform for collaboration and
connection between education professionals with groups focussed
on topics such as educational disadvantage, wellbeing and school
leadership;
- professional learning resources including short courses and
webinars; and
- a platform for teachers to publish reflections, action
research, and school self-evaluation reports.
The service is free for teachers and educational researchers to
access. By creating a space for knowledge-sharing and
collaboration, T-REX empowers teachers to refine their practice,
stay up to date with the latest research, and build strong
professional networks.
Education Minister said: “This is an
exciting time for education in Northern Ireland as we see real
momentum through the TransformED NI strategy. The T-REX platform
represents a further significant investment in high-quality
professional learning. It enables teachers to
refine their practice, share what works and ultimately
contributes to our shared goal of building a world-class
education system.
“Research shows that evidence-informed
teaching strategies significantly improve pupil outcomes,
especially for those facing barriers to education. T-REX helps
teachers translate research into practical classroom strategies,
ensuring that every pupil benefits from high-quality
teaching.”
Announcing the platform, Minister Hildegarde 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."
The project is part of a programme of cooperation between the
Department of Education in Northern Ireland and the Department of
Education and Youth on educational underachievement, supported
through the Irish Government's Shared Island Fund.
Notes to editors:
1. The North-South Shared Island Teachers' Research Exchange
(T-REX) platform (www.t-rex.ie) is an online
community of practice for educator professionals. As engagement
with and in research has become increasingly standard for
educational professionals of all kinds, it has become clear that
a forum for interaction between individuals and groups is needed
for research to have maximum impact and value in schools and
classrooms.
2. The aim of North-South Shared Island Teachers' Research
Exchange (T-REX) platform is to enhance the impact of educational
research findings in the classroom by facilitating a
research-informed approach in education which increases
efficiency, promotes excellence in teaching and learning and
facilitates transformative models of teacher professional
learning. The North-South Shared Island Teachers' Research
Exchange (T-REX) platform achieves this aim through three primary
functions: linking, learning and sharing.
3. The project is overseen by by a Project Board, with
representatives from the two Education Departments. It is
delivered by Mary Immaculate College (MIC), Limerick with support
from Stranmillis University College, Belfast.
4. A new professional development programme, ‘T-REX Digital
Badge: Using Evidence to Address Educational Disadvantage' is
available to educators in Northern Ireland and Ireland. The first
successful cohort completed in 2025 and this course will run
again from 26th January 2026. The programme was developed in
partnership with Stranmillis University College, Belfast. A
pre-existing Digital Badge, ‘Using evidence for Wellbeing in
Educational Settings' has also opened up to educators in Northern
Ireland, along with an additional course in Middle Leadership in
Education.
5. The Irish Government's Shared Island initiative aims to
harness the full potential of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement
to enhance cooperation, connection and mutual understanding on
the island. The initiative is backed by the Irish Government's
Shared Island Fund, for delivery of all-island investment
commitments and objectives in the Programme for Government and
the National Development Plan. As part of existing cooperation,
the Department of Education in Northern Ireland and the
Department of Education and Youth are delivering a pilot
cooperation programme on educational underachievement, comprising
elements on teachers' research exchange (T-REX), creativity in
schools, and supports to address educational underachievement.
