UCD Research has launched a new visual imagery competition to celebrate the wide range of research activities taking place across the university. ‘Images of Research’ is a competition for UCD staff to highlight their research using visual imagery. The deadline for entries is 5pm on Tuesday, 30 September 2025. Please read the Terms and Conditions below carefully before entering the competition.

THE PROMOTER

1.1 UCD Research will run the images of research competition on behalf of University College Dublin (UCD).

THE COMPETITION

2.1 The title of the competition is ‘Images of Research’. Images of Research is a competition for UCD staff to use visual imagery and a simple short description to tell people about their research and its benefits to society. The image submitted can take any form, including a photograph, a drawing, a digital creation or an image from research directly.

2.2 Competition details can be found on the UCD Research website (insert hyperlink).

HOW TO ENTER

3.1 The competition will run from 12:00 on 17 July 2025 (the “Opening Date”) to 17:00 on 30 September 2025 (the “Closing Date”) inclusive.

3.2 All entrants should complete the application form (link to form) on which they can upload their image or a link to same as well as supporting text and information. All competition entries received after the Closing Date will not be considered.

3.3 The competition entries will be judged together and one overall winner will be selected. The judging criteria can be found on this document which will be available on the UCD website. The decision of the panel of judges will be final.

ELIGIBILITY

4.1 This is a multidisciplinary competition open to UCD researchers, academic staff, research technicians, postdoctoral fellows and research postgraduate students.

4.2 There is a limit of one entry per person. Entries are limited to one image per entrant. Images must be generated as a result of research being carried out at UCD and affiliated teaching hospitals or research carried out as a result of funding awarded through UCD.

4.3 All entries submitted for consideration must be the entrant’s own original work, and should not have appeared in print or appear on a website or have been broadcast, or be submitted for publication or consideration elsewhere. Work found to be published in print or on a website or to have been broadcast will not be considered. Images must not be the result of a commission.

4.4 It is the responsibility of the entrant to ensure that the relevant permissions have been sought, copyright is not infringed, any necessary release forms are signed and that publication will not infringe any embargo.

4.5 The Promoter reserves all rights to disqualify you if your conduct is contrary to the spirit or intention of the Competition.

4.6 Submissions that, at the sole discretion of the judges, are considered inappropriate or unsuitable for publication will be deemed ineligible and removed from the Competition.

4.7 The use of AI to generate images is not permitted. However, AI-assisted enhancements to visuals (e.g., AI-assisted microscopy images) are permitted. Any use of AI in a competition entry must be explicitly stated on the submission form.

4.8 Interdisciplinary and collaborative submissions are welcomed.

ENTRY CONDITIONS

5. 1 Submissions must include the following:
- Image - can take any form, a photograph, a drawing, a digital creation or an image from research directly. Submissions must be in digital format.
- No hard copy images, slides, prints, sculptures or objects will be accepted.
- Alternative (Alt) Text - additional information added to an image that describes what the image looks like. It will be read by assistive technologies like screen readers.
- Title – a short snappy title of no more than ten words to capture people’s attention.
- Description – using ‘plain English’ and avoiding jargon and acronyms a description should be a maximum length of 150 words.

JUDGING AND ASSESSMENT

6.1 Submissions will be judged anonymously by a panel of judges made up of colleagues from across the University and external partner(s). There will be one winner and eleven finalists.

JUDGING CRITERIA

7.1 The story behind each image and the reasons for its creation are as important as the image itself. Submissions will be judged against the following criteria:
- Originality;
- Composition (technical and aesthetic);
- Illustrative portrayal of research.

JUDGING PROCESS

8.1 Moderation – submissions will be moderated initially on the criteria set out in 7.1. Those not being progressed will be informed at this stage.

8.2 Review – submissions will be reviewed by the judges to be put forward for exhibition and for the UCD calendar.

SUBMITTING ENTRIES

9.1 The Images of Research online submission form must be completed in full. Images must be uploaded via the online form. In the case of images over 1MB in size, an accessible link to the image on the shared folder must be provided.

9.2 A completed submission form and an image must be received by 5pm on 30 September 2025.

9.3 Each individual entrant can submit no more than one entry to the competition. One image is allowed per entry.

9.4 Each image can only be submitted once. Each image requires a separate submission form.

9.5 All images must be submitted as high-resolution files (300ppi) suitable for printing as winning images will be reproduced as high-quality prints. TIFF or high-resolution JPG formats are preferred but vector format (.ai, .eps or .pdf) will also be accepted. Images can be full colour or black & white.

THE PRIZES

10.1 The following prizes will be given:
- A €500 research grant for the winner.
- A €250 research grant for each finalist.

These research grants are provided to UCD staff. Research students will have to nominate their supervisors to receive the grant. Finalists will also be invited to the awards ceremony at UCD Research.

10.2 Prizes are subject to availability. There is no cash alternative for the prize.

10.3 The prizes are not negotiable.

10.4 Finalists will be invited to the awards ceremony at UCD Research in early 2026.

WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT

11.1 The winners of the Competition will be announced at the prize-giving ceremony in early 2026.

11.2 The decisions are final and no correspondence or discussion will be entered into.

11.3 The Promoting Directorate will contact the winners personally as soon as practicable after the Announcement Date, using the correspondence details provided with the competition entry.

CLAIMING THE PRIZE

12.1 The Promoter does not accept any responsibility if you are not able to take up the prize.

12.2 The prizes may not be claimed by a third party on your behalf.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

13.1 Insofar as permitted by law, the Promoter will not in any circumstances be responsible or liable to compensate the winner and will accept minimal liability for any loss, damage, personal injury or death occurring as a result of taking up the prize except where it is caused by the negligence of the Promoter. Your statutory rights are not affected.

OWNERSHIP OF COMPETITION ENTRIES AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

14.1 By submitting an image to UCD Images of Research competition, you grant UCD a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free licence to use, reproduce, modify, publish, distribute and otherwise exercise all copyright and other rights with respect to that image at their exclusive discretion.

14.2 You agree that the Promoter may, but is not required to, make your entry available on its website and any other media, whether now known or invented in the future, and in connection with any publicity of the competition.

14.3 UCD reserves the right not to publish or exhibit submitted images.

14.4 Participation in this competition will be deemed to constitute full and unconditional acceptance of its terms and conditions.

DATA PROTECTION

15.1 UCD (‘the University’) is the Data Controller in respect of the personal data you submit to enter the Images of Research Competition. The University manages personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the University’s Data Protection Policy.

15.2 The information and personal data to be submitted is specified within the ‘Images of Research Competition Information’ under the ‘The Image’ and ‘The Title and abstract’ headings.

15.3 Any personal data submitted will be used in order to administer the competition and contact winning individuals. Your name, faculty, competition entry, any statements attributed to you and photographs you provide or are taken during the event may also be used for promotional purposes.

15.4 We rely upon the legitimate interest lawful basis in order to administer the ‘Images of Research’ competition and your consent as provided within the application form as our lawful basis to use your personal data for promotional purposes. i.e. within the University’s website.

15.5 You have the right to withdraw your consent at any point, although please note that this may not mean that your personal data is removed from promotional material already in circulation.

15.6 For further information about the University’s processing of personal data, your data subject rights and contact information for the University’s Data Protection Officer please refer to the University’s Privacy Notice.

GENERAL

16.1 If there is any reason to believe that there has been a breach of the Rules, the Promoting Directorate may, at its sole discretion, reserve the right to exclude you from participating in the competition.

16.2 The Promoting Directorate reserves the right to hold void, suspend, cancel, or amend the prize competition where it becomes necessary to do so.

16.3 The Rules shall be governed by Irish law, and the parties submit to the non- exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Ireland. UCD reserves the right to amend the Rules where it is deemed necessary to do so or where circumstances are beyond UCD’s control. Any changes to the Rules will be posted on the UCD Research website.

16.4 Should you have any queries surrounding the competition, please direct them to daniel.rowan@ucd.ie

Note: UCD and the Images of Research Committee, reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to change, modify, add or remove any portion of these terms and conditions of use, in whole or in part, at any time.