University President John Hennessy has signed on as an “international advisor” to a partnership between two Irish universities.

Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin announced last week that Hennessy will serve as an advisor to their Innovation Alliance.

“Strategic alliances between higher education institutions at both [the] national and international level are vital to developing the research and knowledge transfer ecosystem which must be at the heart of a smart economy,” said Brian Cowen, the head of the Irish government, about the burgeoning partnership.