Irish Aid, the government's international aid programme, last week tendered for expressions of interest from Irish universities wishing to make research links with institutions in the developing world.

Third-level bodies in Ireland will be eligible to form links with institutes in countries that currently receive Irish government funding.

A total of 12.5m has been allocated towards funding the links, with the money coming jointly from Irish Aid and the Higher Education Authority (HEA).

Commenting on the fund, Conor Lenihan, Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, said that inter-institutional links and research cooperation between the higher education sector in Ireland and in the developing world was an effective way of working towards poverty reduction.

Strengthening education models in developing societies would help to produce a stronger democratic society, he said.

The announcement is the key initiative in the newly formed strategic cooperation pact between Irish Aid and the HEA, which will run from 2007 until 2011.