UL secures €5.9m for low-code software funding project

A new research project investigating low-code and no-code approaches to software engineering is to get a near €6 million boost to help build a new software development platform.

The project, which is led by the University of Limerick, is designed to help with the ongoing challenge presented by a shortage of software developers. The low-code/no-code approach allows developers to design applications with minimal or no knowledge in coding for a range of uses, including solutions in data management, privacy and security, giving businesses new ways to design software applications quickly.

It is to get a total of €5.87 million in funding, with €2.3 million coming from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) through its Strategic Partnership Programme. That will be matched by partners such as Analog Devices, Stripe, Tines, Johnson & Johnson, and Limerick City and County Council.

The research produced by R@ISE (Research at Immersive Software Engineering) is expected to create an advanced software development and integration platform. It will be co-designed by 22 PhD students and four postdoctoral fellows in collaboration with the industry and international partners.

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Prof Norelee Kennedy, vice-president of research at UL, said the project was “significant”.

“The programme builds on UL’s ground-breaking collaboration with some of the world’s most innovative technology companies and on UL’s long-standing strengths in software engineering and directly supports UL’s strategic goal of enabling a smart society through the evolution of digital technology to benefit businesses and citizens.”

The announcement was welcomed by Minister of State for Skills and Further Education Niall Collins. “It is an excellent example of collaborative research bringing local government, industry and academia together,” he said. “The Government is committed to supporting cutting-edge research that will bring both societal and economic benefits, and I am excited to see the potential of the R@ISE programme to transform the software development industry.”

The low-code movement is expected to grow significantly in the future, with predictions that it will account for more than 65 per cent of development activity by 2024. The tools have been used by governments around the world as they managed the spread of Covid-19.