Ministers welcome innovative North-South Shared Island Teachers’ Research Exchange (T-REX) Platform
Date published:
Education Minister Paul Givan 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 Paul Givan 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.
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