Past Research

Lincoln 2020
The project was initiated by the Lincoln University and carried out by the Lincoln Futures Group in collaboration with The Futures Academy. The Prospective Through Scenarios approach was used to imagine the future of the city and create a preferred future vision for Lincoln in 2020. The vision was developed though collaboration of wide range of stakeholders representing main sectors in the city.
Link to the report

The Future of the Dublin-Belfast Economic Corridor
The study conducted by The Futures Academy in collaboration with the University of Ulster explored a range of possible futures for the development of Dublin-Belfast economic corridor. More information about the project can be found in The Futures Academy Compendium.

University Futures
The project was carried out by The Futures Academy in 2006/7. The aim of the study was to help create an awareness of the changing milieu within which Higher Education will operate over coming decades, whole concurrently exploring its possible alternative forms.
Link to the report

Global Real Estate Scenarios
The project was carried out by Professor John Ratcliffe in collaboration with King Sturge in the period 2000-2001. The study identified the driving forces of change for the global real estate and produced a set of future scenarios for the global real estate.
Link to the report

European Real Estate Scenarios: Nirvana or Nemesis?
The project was carried out in 2004 by The Futures Academy in collaboration with King Sturge. It aimed to identify the drivers of change affecting Europe over the coming years and to build a number of alternative scenarios for the future of European real estate.
Link to the report

LUDA - Large Urban Distressed Areas
A three year pan-European research project of Key Action 4 "City of Tomorrow & Cultural Heritage" of the programme "Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development" within the Fifth Framework Programme of the European Commission. The leading question is: How can an integrated and strategic process of sustainable rehabilitation and development for large urban distressed areas, with a complex set of problems, rather vague development perspectives, and high public pressure for rapid improvements, be initiated and better managed during its initial stages? www.luda-project.net.

Scenarios for Ireland 2030
An important element of the 2005 Futures Academy work programme, this project aims to produce a suite of distinct, yet realistic, scenarios for the future of Ireland. It is intended that these scenarios will inform decision-makers as to the uncertainties that lie ahead and how these might be prepared for and ultimately managed more effectively, as has happened with the 'Scenarios for Scotland' project. Set for launch at a conference later in the year, it is also intended that these scenarios will be renewed on a five-yearly basis as part of an ongoing interactive process.
Link to the report

Global Cities 2030
In conjunction with the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and in preparation for the World Cities Forum in June this year, The Futures Academy prepared a series of 'layered' scenarios for the future of global cities. These aim to provoke discussion as well as inform interested parties as to the changing nature of cities worldwide. As part of the research, an 'horizon scanning' exercise, survey questionnaires and a futures workshop were undertaken to ensure the creation of well-informed, robust scenarios.
Link to the report

Imagine Dublin 2020
In May 2004, the Dublin Chamber of Commerce launched their vision for the future of Dublin entitled 'Imagine Dublin 20:20' at the Dublin City Council. The Futures Academy was instrumental in the facilitation and production of this document, having participated in the development of scenarios and characterisations for the Chamber. www.dublinchamber.ie.
Link to the report

Greater Dublin Prospectives Society
This society involves regular meetings of pubic and private stakeholders in Dublin's economy and is facilitated using 'futures' methods and techniques in order to establish a social network and framework for discussion for those interested in the future of Dublin city and the Greater Dublin Area (GDA). April's 2004 meeting focussed on the theme 'Clean, Green and Safe' and included presentations from Charles Landry (author of "The Creative City"), Kevin Carty (Asst. Commissioner, Garda Siochana), and Eamon Ryan (Green Party TD).

Irish Government Enterprise Strategy Group
In mid-2003, The Futures Academy was approached by Forfás (Government Science and Technology Policy advisory body) to discuss the possibility of running a futures workshop for the Enterprise Strategy Group. This group was formed by the Tánaiste to examine the future of enterprise in Ireland over the next ten years and comprised of high-level decision-makers from business, unions and academia. The Futures Academy facilitated a workshop in the K-Club in December 2003 for the Group, at which a series of comprehensive scenarios for the future of Irish enterprise were created, following which the Enterprise Strategy Group has reconsidered its examination of a number of issues central to future enterprise policy that were addressed during the workshop. www.forfas.ie

BIDS - Business Improvement Districts
Town planning and economic-based projects to improve the competitiveness of districts. This project, in conjunction with the Tourism Research Centre, DIT, focuses on Carlow. The project was won at a value of €50,000.