Vision & Mission

Founded in 1991, the core aims and objectives of the Discovery Programme: Centre for Archaeology and Innovation Ireland are set out in our Memorandum of Association – our Constitution. Today we work to the charitable purpose of benefitting the community by the advancement of culture, heritage and sciences and in particular by:

• Enhancing the understanding of Ireland’s past through archaeological and related research in the humanities and sciences
• Establishing and directing research programmes
• Promoting such research
• Promoting the appreciation of Ireland’s archaeological heritage through education and outreach programmes

These core objectives essentially fall into two categories, as described in the Board’s Strategic Vision Statement (November 2019), along the lines of the following:

• The enhancement of the understanding of Ireland’s past, primarily (though not exclusively) through the interpretation of its archaeological record, and
• The communication of that understanding to as wide an audience as possible

The priorities of the Discovery Programme, as set out in the Board’s Strategic Vision Statement, are to provide:

• Research Leadership
  Drawing together ideas
• Research – community and policy support
  Drawing together data and ideas for policies around cultural heritage data
• Public engagement and communication
  Sharing data and participation in the gathering of new data

To achieve that strategic vision, the Board Strategic Vision Statement sets out a key ambition: that the Discovery Programme will be recognised as a hub for the profession, working actively to facilitate collaboration within and beyond the profession and fostering the recognition of the wider value of a collaborative approach in Irish archaeology. The following actions are set out as key to achieving that ambition:

• Working better and more effectively
• Providing research leadership
• Supporting the research community and policy
• Building a public engagement and communications platform

To achieve that strategic vision, the Board Strategic Vision Statement sets out a key ambition: that the Discovery Programme will be recognised as a hub for the profession, working actively to facilitate collaboration within and beyond the profession and fostering the recognition of the wider value of a collaborative approach in Irish archaeology. The following actions are set out as key to achieving that ambition:

• Working better and more effectively
• Providing research leadership
• Supporting the research community and policy
• Building a public engagement and communications platform