TUS: Midlands Midwest TU Newsletter Edition 3

TU Newsletter Edition 3 Ireland’s Next Technological University Students and Staff #DeliveringTogether

The Journey Towards a TU. #DeliveringTogether

A Word from the Minister.

T

his marks a really exciting transition for AIT and LIT as they become a technological university.

This is a new beginning for the two regions, for your students, staff, communities, and for the reinvention and re-imagination of the Midlands and Midwest.

This technological university is a key part of our higher education landscape but it is about much more than that. It is about recognising the value of our regions and the role they can play in driving the economy and society.

Importantly for our students, it offers the option to study, work, live and raise a family in their hometown or county.

It is about rebalancing the conversation and focusing less on our cities and more on our regions.

As Minister in this new department with a very long title, it is my ambition to ensure our regions become a powerhouse for education, research and innovation.

Technological universities are a key component in this approach.

“I want to warmly congratulate and sincerely thank the very many people - staff and students, from the LIT and AIT, and all our stakeholders who have made this possible.”

Today is a good day for higher education but we will not rest there. We all want to ensure that this generation, so affected already by the Covid-19 phenomenon, has the opportunities many before them didn’t.

Now, both AIT and LIT can begin those exciting conversations about the possibilities of what a TU can do for the Midlands and the Midwest, for the people and the region.

We want to ensure they have the skill sets and qualifications to compete and succeed in a fast-changing, digitalised and highly competitive world. We want to ensure they can study and develop as individuals in an environment that is welcoming and engaging, which has state of the art facilities, which will teach them core values and the ability to work together, to solve problems and to contribute to wider society.

Athlone and Limerick become our third TU following TU Dublin and Munster Technological University. This is continuation of our higher education evolution; I have received an application for a new TU in the South East too, and I look forward to one arriving shortly for a Connacht Ulster TU.

I want to warmly congratulate and sincerely thank the very many people - staff and students, from the LIT and AIT, and all our stakeholders who have made this possible. The benefit that this new technological university will bring will be strongly felt and richly deserved.

Technological universities have the ability to broaden our viewpoint, to ensure a smooth transition between further and higher education. They provide higher education programmes at all levels including apprenticeships right up to doctoral degrees. This provides significant opportunities for students and staff and wider stakeholders to learn, innovate, and grow in their own region.

While it is an exciting prospect, I am sure it is tinged with some sadness too as both institutions prepare to be dissolved. The horizon is full of hope and promise; it is a time to celebrate for your region and look forward to this exciting venture together.

Simon Harris TD Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

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New TU for Midlands and Midwest Gets Green Light.

The Technological University of the Shannon (TUS: Midlands Midwest) has been designated as Ireland’s newest technological university. Shortly, AIT and LIT will cease to exist, and the Midlands and Midwest regions will be served by a new technological university with education, research, collaboration and regional development at its core.

The name of the new technological university, TUS: Midlands Midwest, follows extensive independent research carried out with almost 3,500 students, staff, and regional stakeholders over several months. TUS denotes a new beginning or start for the technological university, while Midlands Midwest represents the universities principal regions, whose geography and provenance are linked by the River Shannon.

The presidents of both institutes of technology, LIT’s Professor Vincent Cunnane and AIT’s Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin, describe the designation of the new TU as the conclusion of a strong and dedicated collaboration process between two institutions with a shared vision and ethos.

“It has been a great privilege to have been able to play a small part in the formation of this new Irish university. The region to be served by this technological university, a region which is unified and defined by the Shannon, will be enabled by this new university to face and shape the future with confidence, resilience and expertise.”

Professor Tom Collins, Project Facilitator

A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie

“This is a historic moment for the Midlands and Midwest of Ireland, as we see our ambition of achieving technological university status realised. The designation will see AIT and LIT come together under the auspices of TUS: Midlands Midwest to form a new educational powerhouse, linked by the River Shannon.

Unique in its geography, the new university will border almost half of Ireland’s 26 counties, providing unprecedented levels of access to higher education. This will be a transformative change in accessibility and one that we are proud to lead.

“As a new university, we will be bold and ambitious. We will drive future development and technological innovation across Ireland through cross-cutting, high-TRL research and knowledge transfer to stakeholders in industry. TUS: Midlands Midwest will be the home of changemakers, knowledge creators, innovators and leaders, whose combined might will help transform the Midlands and Midwest for the better and have a lasting impact on our communities and economy. Today marks the start of an exciting future for all and, indeed, Athlone as a new university town.”

Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin, AIT President

“This is a significant time in the educational history of the regions and indeed Ireland. Receiving TU designation is a huge achievement – an achievement based on a strong, comparable strategic direction in both organisations over a number of years, and a real concerted effort for the last 18 months. It is a culmination of the hard work, dedication and input into the TU designation process by the staff and students of both institutions as well as regional stakeholders. TUS: Midlands Midwest promises to be a new type of university with a strengthened regional focus and a national and international outlook, that will benefit our staff, our students and the communities we serve.

“This new technological university will take its place as an economic driver for the regions in a post pandemic Ireland, rebuilding our economy and our society, researching new ideas, providing solutions, supporting business and industry, while ensuring a first-class education for its students. Never has there been a more appropriate time for new beginnings - a new start for the regions, for our country, for our communities, for education and for Ireland’s next TU.”

Professor Vincent Cunnane, LIT President

I am delighted to see the progress that has been made over the last 18 months, which has now culminated in the creation of Ireland’s third technological university. TUS: Midlands Midwest will be a powerful educational entity that will serve with dedication and distinction, futureproofing higher education across the Midlands and Midwest through practical learning, applied research and strong industry engagement. The future is indeed bright, and we can now look forward to opening our doors in September and starting a new chapter in our story.”

Liam Rattigan, Chair of Governing Body, AIT

“TUS: Midlands Midwest points to a strong future serving a region that stretches along the River Shannon, making this area even more attractive to indigenous SMEs and foreign direct investment, by linking knowledge, research, education and innovation. The new TU will require significant public investment and support to reach its full potential, as it opens up educational opportunities to areas previously underserved. This new university will carry with it the student-centred ethos of its predecessors ensuring access to education for the communities it serves.”

Tony Brazil, Chair of Governing Body, LIT 3

Naming Process Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest

A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie

TUS: Midlands Midwest speaks to a shared geography, heritage, and to the flow of knowledge and ideas that will bring the new university to the cutting edge of higher education in Ireland and beyond. The River Shannon provides a feature of scale with which to communicate our international ambitions and our ability to impact regionally, nationally and internationally.

The naming signifies an important step forward in the journey to delivering a technological university for the Midlands and Midwest and stems from extensive engagement with stakeholders across both regions. Their passion, ambition and vision for the TU project has been its driving force and their voices have been instrumental in helping shape the new university.

The name signifies a new beginning for the Midlands and Midwest and speaks to the connecting force of the River Shannon, on which Athlone and Limerick sit as its principal centres of regional growth. This institution will represent a new beginning for staff, students, communities, for the locations of all six campuses and for the reinvention and reimagination of the region.

The legislation underpinning the technological university clearly sets out our remit and the role of our stakeholders in our future direction. To root the name of the institution in these stakeholders’ views signifies the intent of this technological university right at the very start of its existence.

TUS: Midlands Midwest The new university will comprise a population of more than 14,000 students and a staff complement of approximately 1,200 people across six campuses in Athlone, Limerick (2), Clonmel, Ennis and Thurles. An economic impact study commissioned last year found that the combined impact of AIT and LIT on the Irish economy is close to €420 million euros in economic output, while they support more than 800 jobs in addition to their own staff complement.

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Our Journey.

The Technological University of the Shannon (TUS: Midlands Midwest) will be a contemporary university with a strong regional focus that will benefit students, staff, and the communities we serve. Becoming a university will further strengthen our teaching and research capacity and provide new opportunities and access pathways for all learners.

March 2019 Application to HEA landscape fund (first joint project).

Technologoical Universities Act 2018 Establishing the concept of a TU in Irish law.

February 2019 Governing body consideration of strategic futures of both institutes.

October 2019 Joint management steering group for the TU project established.

June 2019 Governing bodies approve formation of TU consortium.

September 2019 Landscape funding of €2m announced to commence TU project.

May 2019 First joint meeting of AIT and LIT executive management teams.

January 2020 Joint project directors and project facilitator appointed to lead TU project development.

March 2020 Consultation fora with employee representative bodies established.

November 2019 Governing bodies of AIT and LIT approve the AIT - LIT Consortium.

November 2020 TU application goes to government.

April 2020 AIT - LIT Consortium metrics audit by Deloitte.

May 2021 TUS: Midlands Midwest is designated as Ireland’s third TU.

May 2020 Professional Services Steering Group and working groups established.

January 2021 International Advisory Panel visit.

October 2021 Ireland’s newest TU to open its doors.

October 2020 Innovation and transformation funding of €5m announced to progress TU project.

A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie

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Operationalising the New University.

A Message from the Project Directors

“Strategic alignment is happening right across the six campuses of the new university.

The next four months will be about getting to know each other better and building internal relationships.”

We are now moving into the next phase of the TU project, which encompasses operationalising the new university and amalgamating its various systems and processes. This phase will take us through the next four months, right up to appointment day.

From the outset, we have taken the view that this new university is about people and not processes. Yet, it is important to give a sense of the mission critical elements being rolled out ahead of the university opening its doors later this year. The identity of the new university will announce a changed reality for both students and staff from the day we open our doors as TUS: Midlands Midwest.

New university signage will be rolled out across the six campuses and every student will receive a branded ID card. Some services, such as the functional part of the HR system CORE, will continue to operate in their current capacity while work is underway to fully integrate the systems.

Dr Niall Seery Project Director, AIT

Academic, operational and strategic alignment is happening right across the six campuses of the new university. The time leading up to the new university is about getting to know each other better and building internal relationships – unit to unit, department to department, faculty to faculty. This is also a time for familiarising ourselves with the wider disciplines profile and interdisciplinary functions of the new university and asking ourselves what we can do together that we could not do before. These interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary connections strike at the core of what a university should be and present significant opportunity for growth and innovation. These bilateral relationships will help us build communities of practice and give rise to opportunities in areas that we had not previously considered. This will support provision of new programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate level that leverage emerging technologies to meet the ever-evolving needs of industry.

“This is a hugely transformative project, right down to the very psyche of our localities. The new university will liberate significant latent potential and expertise which is already here, but it did not have a way of expressing itself; the university will be that vehicle for change.”

Developing research at the cutting-edge of knowledge creation is our focus and continuing to build capacity is integral to achieving that. The new university will be a research-oriented institution with a critical mass of knowledge creators. This will ensure the sustainability of the research and innovation ecosystem. We are looking at how we can nurture this pipeline in the new TU through individual researcher development, designated research institutes, and mentorship. Our European University Network (RUN-EU) will also make access to research funding and collaborative opportunities more tangible in terms of developing a network and building capacity, all of which are crucial to helping us meet our goals.

This phase of our TU journey is also characterised by an agenda of authority, as universities define their own standards. We will now go through a process of determining our own award structures. We will no longer be governed by the decisions and processes of delegated authority, meaning that we can now designate awards across a broader range of areas. We will establish a new academic council and several subcommittees, in areas like EDI, research, and teaching and learning, to oversee this process. The work of these sub committees will feed back into the new academic council in a virtuous cycle.

Dr Terry Twomey Project Director, LIT

This is a hugely transformative project, right down to the very psyche of our localities. The new university will liberate significant latent potential and expertise which is already here, but it did not have a way of expressing itself; the university will be that vehicle for change. By developing academic prowess and expertise and giving expression to the fullness of human capacity, the future graduates of our new university will contribute even more to the region and to the civic and social fabric of our communities.

A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie

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“Graduating with a university qualification will open a lot of doors for students. Our qualifications will be recognised nationally as well as internationally and be of benefit when we join the workforce. ”

Maria Dunne Course: Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts Campus: Athlone

I am currently in third year studying for a Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts at AIT. Every day is different - some days consist of theoretical classes only while other days, we have all practical classes.

Some days we have half day practical classes and the other, half theory classes. The modules range from food safety, nutrition, science, advanced culinary techniques, baking and pastry, product development and business. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions this year, most of our theory classes and some of our practical classes are based online.

AIT has provided me with a lot of support and opportunities, including traveling abroad to countries such as Dubai, France, Malaysia, and India. Throughout my study, I have also gotten the opportunity to work with lecturers to practise for national and international culinary competitions like Chef Ireland, a competition in India; In 2020, I was crowned the Knorr Student Chef of The Year.

I expect AIT becoming a university will benefit students greatly.

Graduating with a university qualification will open a lot of doors for students. Our qualifications will be recognised nationally as well as internationally and be of benefit when we join the workforce.

I imagine it will also attract more Leaving Certificate students to choose the new university as a place to study when applying through the CAO. I expect the new university will attract more employment opportunities for students and also encourage more people to live and work in the Midlands region.

A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie

Student Voices.

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Rita Shah

Founder and CEO, Shabra Plastics and Recycling

Mike Morrissey

Catalyst Director, Analog Devices

Stakeholders in the Region.

Ken Whitelaw

Regional Manager Midlands Region, IDA Ireland

George O’Callaghan

Chief Executive, Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board

“The formation of a new TU for the Midlands and Midwest resonates far beyond TUS: Midlands Midwest’s six campuses. The regions’ stakeholders explain the positive impact Ireland’s newest TU will have on industry, society and the regional economy.”

A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie

Michael McEnroe

Managing Director, Harmac Medical Products

“AIT has provided a rich vein of high calibre and expert graduates across many cross-cutting domains that have grown businesses; these generations of highly skilled graduates have and continue to provide the cornerstones for success. AIT symbolizes ‘collaboration with impact’ and has provided a guiding framework to support and accelerate enterprise across many topics, including my own passion for the environment and climate action, particularly the bioeconomy and sustainability. Shabra Recycling has worked with AIT on many projects. This open sharing of knowledge and technologies has informed important R&D for industry along with driving opportunities to meet key challenges, including COVID-19. The seamless transition to becoming a new technological university is a logical and powerful development. This will no doubt further support, enable and transform the Irish Midlands.

It was with great pride that I accepted the position of Distinguished Visiting Research Fellow to AIT, and I look forward to humbly serving in this capacity to help progress the new technological university.”

LIT talent has played a pivotal role in supporting the expansion and success of Analog Devices (ADI) over the past 45 years in Ireland. ADI recognised early the inherent value of LIT’s bright and skilled people. The top-class talent continues to burn brightly there, and we welcome the move towards a new technological university status by the combination of LIT and AIT. The new university with its expanded student population of 15,000 further enhances the available talent pipeline and will embed and facilitate greater partnership opportunities in critical research and development areas such as Industry 4.0, digital healthcare, artificial intelligence, 5G communications and much more. The TU will enhance engagement and impact and support ADI’s new ‘Catalyst’ collaboration accelerator to further deliver global innovations which continue to be driven by local talent.

The Midlands counties of Westmeath, Offaly, Longford and Laois are host to 44 IDA Ireland client companies, directly supporting more than 6,300 jobs. Many of these companies, particularly across the existing clusters oflife science, technology and global business services, work very closely with Athlone Institute of Technology, not only in terms of influencing the curriculum but also in terms of leading-edge R&D, hosting work placements, guest lecturing and PhD sponsorship, to name a few areas. One standout example is AIT’s partnership with Ericsson to develop a bespoke MSc in Applied Software Engineering as a means to developing a talent pipeline for their 1,200 person campus in Athlone. The combined resources of multiple campuses that will come about under the new technological university will strengthen the value proposition for both the Midlands and Midwest regions. The new TU brand and all that it means will carry greater recognition in the eyes of international visitors and will help IDA in positioning regional locations for our new clients – a key pillar under our current strategy.

Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board welcomes the establishment of the technological university for the region. It will be a huge boost to the Midwest and will be a significant development in the educational, economic and social life of the region. The presence of a second major university campus will also bring a dynamic and creative impetus to the region. The technological university will build on the great reputation already achieved by Limerick Institute of Technology locally, nationally and internationally. Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, as the largest education provider in the region with over 36,000 students and learners, looks forward to working collaboratively with the new university. The ETB already has a strong working relationship with Limerick Institute of Technology. This will provide a strong foundation to build a partnership with the new university. As our students progress through our primary, post-primary and tertiary levels, these linkages will lead to greater choice and enhanced pathways for everyone.

“Since Harmac Medical Products was first established in Castlrea, Co Roscommon, in 1998, we have benefitted tremendously from the high-quality graduates produced by AIT. As a global single use medical device manufacturer committed to continuous improvement, our ability to recruit high quality, local talent across all disciplines but particularly in the areas of polymer engineering, mechanical engineering and manufacturing technology has been an important factor in our growth and success to date. To see AIT and LIT join forces and gain technological university status would be a great reflection on both institutions.

A technological university based in the Midlands/Midwest region is a great driver of decentralisation and play an important role in attracting new investment to the region.

We wish AIT and LIT every success with their bid to gaining technological university status.”

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“The thriving, dynamic and innovative enterprise base in the Midwest region includes 143 IDA Ireland client companies employing more than 24,000 people. The Midwest has a significant ecosystem of well-established companies across technology, life sciences, international financial services amongst other sectors. Companies with operations across the Midwest (Clare, Limerick and Tipperary), including Analog, Boston Scientific, Beckman Coulter, Fiserv, Regeneron, Zimmer Biomet, are global leaders in the multinational community. LIT has been a valuable partner for our FDI clients and an impressive source of talent and innovation for companies considering investment in the region.

With impressive capability across manufacturing, sustainability, and technology to name a couple, and with TU status and leveraging the scale and synergies of a merger with AIT, I’m confident that the new TU will continue to be a key source of talent and innovation for our client companies across the Midwest and the Midlands.”

“AIT becoming a university is a fantastic opportunity for the region, not only from a perspective of new business and the reputation of the region, but also attracting new talent and increasing the pool of candidates. We are employing large volumes of software engineers, many of whom are AIT graduates, and we are really looking forward to collaborating with AIT further and continuing to provide opportunities to the new cohort of talent graduating from the technological university. The technological university will strengthen the future economy of the region, make it more attractive for students and new business, and as a result, we will benefit from the new business opportunities as well as the talent.”

“Tipperary County Council is pleased to support the AIT-LIT Consortium in their case for the establishment of a technological university. The Council has, over many years, collaborated successfully with the Limerick Institute of Technology in developing projects and proposals which are making a tangible difference to the people of County Tipperary and to their students. The establishment of a technological university provides a platform to enhance and grow existing collaborations while promoting both Clonmel and Thurles as university towns. It will also provide a broader and more diverse range of opportunities to young persons seeking to further their education in a university setting closer to home while creating a pool of much needed skills to both indigenous and foreign direct investments within the county and the wider region. We look forward to working with the newly established technological university in addressing some of the key challenges that face all of us in areas such as climate action, sustaining our towns and rural areas and the digital economy.”

“A new technological university in the Midwest holds great promise for the region, not only in the exciting educational opportunities it will create, but also for the significant positive impact it can have on economic and social development.

A skilled workforce sustains population growth and enhances employment opportunities. Clare County Council and our partners in the region have ambitious plans for future development that will require a large pool of diverse skills. The technological university, with a modern campus in Ennis Town, can contribute significantly to meeting future requirements. I wish the partners in the technological university well as they embark on this new phase in the journey, and we look forward to working together to advance our common goals for the benefit of all.”

Will Corcoran

Regional Manager, Midwest Region, IDA Ireland

Carmel Owens CEO, Sidero

Joe MacGrath Chief Executive, Tipperary County Council

Pat Dowling Chief Executive, Clare County Council

A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie

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Helen Leahy

Ibec Senior Regional Policy Executive

Dr Pat Gallagher

Chief Executive, Westmeath County Council

Professor Tom Moody

VP Technology Development and Commercialisation, Almac and Arran Chemical Company

Paddy Mahon

Chief Executive, Longford County Council

Pat Daly

Chief Executive, Limerick City County Council

A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie

“A technological university of scale, that is agile, responsive, engaged with the business community and, most of all, delivering high quality teaching and research will present significant opportunity and will play a key role in addressing the challenges of a post-pandemic economy. The institutes of technology are significant drivers of regional development. Businesses in both regions have a long history of strong collaboration with Limerick Institute of Technology and Athlone Institute of Technology.

A technological university offers considerable scope to enhance even further how businesses and the institutions can work together on a range of issues to support the needs of business and increase investment, skills creation and research capacity. Business welcomes the designation of the technological university. However, it will require significant public investment if it is to deliver on the needs of a technological university and reach the scale needed to attract top academic talent, compete in the challenging international research environment and drive regional development.”

“County Westmeath is in the centre of Ireland, at the heart of the Midlands region. It includes the town of Athlone, designated as a regional growth centre under the Ireland’s National Planning Framework.

Westmeath County Council plays a leading role in the economic, social and cultural development of the area. AIT is one of our key collaborators in that important work. AIT is a principal enabler of innovation and development within this region. This Council strongly supports its partnership with LIT to form Ireland’s newest technological university, which will be an even stronger leader of transformation within the combined adjoining regions of Ireland’s Midlands and Midwest. Their membership of the new Regional University Network – European Union (RUN-EU) is an important signal of their joint commitment to the technological university project. It opens to this region the possibility of collaboration with other EU centres on cross-regional themes of mutual interest. We look forwarding to working closely with the new TU in capitalising on the new opportunities it will afford the development of the region.”

“The team at Arran Chemical Company offers our heartfelt congratulations on AIT’s achievement of attaining technological university status. The positive social and economic impact this status offers cannot be understated; from local employment opportunities to enhancing research technological excellence which will bring significant benefit regionally, across the Midlands, and nationally throughout Ireland. AIT is a renowned centre of research and technological excellence, and this achievement further demonstrates its commitment to providing a highly talented pipeline of professionally and technically skilled graduates, which in turn, will stimulate regional and national growth and success. AIT has established strong links with Arran Chemical Company over many years and, together, we have collaborated through industry projects and PhD scholarship programmes and look forward to identifying further opportunities for collaborative research in the future.”

“Each step forward that AIT has taken since its inception has been a collective step forward for the Midlands counties. AIT has had an immensely positive social and economic impact on Longford’s communities, allowing students to avail of the option to live and work locally while accessing a cuttingedge third-level education. Home-grown graduates have already been a key feature in attracting investment on a national and international scale to Longford, thanks to the proximity of Athlone.

The tailor-made course offerings generate a loyal and local labour force that helps to future-proof our economy. The achievement of university status by AIT-LIT will further establish Athlone and the Midlands as an educational destination of choice, offering a flexibility and quality of life that urban centres simply cannot match.”

“I would like to commend the management and staff of LIT and AIT for the way in which they have come together and dedicated their time and effort in establishing the country’s newest technological university. Having a technological university in Limerick will be an important selling point when it comes to promoting the Limerick city region. The Limerick region has always been an area recognised for its special interaction between industry and education and the addition of a technological university will further strengthen our attractiveness as a location for innovation and investment and it will attract the highest calibre of students to its various campuses. The technological university can become a cradle of collaboration and innovation, harnessing its combined resources to create something special for Limerick and the region.”

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New TU To Promote and Advance Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie

The Technologies Universities Act 2018 also requires the attainment of gender balance and equality of opportunity to be promoted among the students and staff of the TU. In addition, the Act places an obligation on a technological university to perform its functions respecting the diversity of values, beliefs and traditions in Irish society.

Accordingly, the new TU is committed to meeting its obligations under the TU Act and also to be proactive in promoting equality in the spirit of this Act. Carol Wrenn, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager at LIT, explained, “TUS: Midlands Midwest will provide opportunities for all students and staff to thrive in higher education and in the wider community through the promotion of positive identities and abilities, the celebration of diversity and difference, and the provision of an inclusive, welcoming culture and environment. Progressing cultural change to advance EDI objectives is a continuing and evolving process and one we are absolutely committed to.”

John McKenna, VP for Equality and Diversity at AIT, added, “The work carried out by the EDI teams in AIT and LIT to date is to support and empower those working in the technological university to explore, understand and develop inclusive practices for the benefit of everyone connected, both directly and indirectly, with the new TU. In achieving this, we envisage a TU that will be a leader in promoting and advancing equality, diversity and inclusion, and in doing so, will be a driver of cultural and societal change regionally and nationally.”

“We envisage a TU that will be a leader in promoting and advancing equality, diversity and inclusion, and in doing so, will be a driver of cultural and societal change regionally and nationally.”

With both institutes of technology now in receipt of the Athena Swan Bronze Award, work has already begun on meeting the equality targets set out by this initiative which aims to effect cultural and systemic change in higher education institutions.

John McKenna

P

reparing for a technological university with equality, diversity and inclusion among its core values has been the focus of a working group made up of EDI (Equality Diversity and Inclusion) staff from both AIT and LIT.

“Progressing cultural change to advance EDI objectives is a continuing and evolving process and one we are absolutely committed to.”

Carol Wrenn

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TUS: Midlands Midwest SU Charts a New Path in Student Representation.

“This is the first time in the context of the amalgamation of these new universities that a students’ union has been ‘up early and best dressed’, ready to go as soon as they get the green light.”

A

IT and LIT SUs have created the technological sector’s first fully amalgamated students’ union in anticipation of TUS: Midlands Midwest opening its doors later this year. The new union, which has already elected its first president and ratified a comprehensive constitutional framework, is expected to be fully operational with new officers in situ

by July 1, 2021. The executives of both students’ unions set out almost one year ago to develop a new, unitary entity to serve TUS: Midlands Midwest’s student body, which is projected to grow to 15,000 by 2024. While similar in size and operating structure, there were a lot of details to be hammered out, including how a multicampus students’ union, 120 kilometres apart, was going to work efficiently and effectively.

The unions enlisted the help of an external facilitator, Senan Turnbull, who is an organisational and governance development specialist for the not-forprofit sector. A former SU officer himself, some 40 years ago, Senan brought a wealth of experience and knowledge to the role of advising the student executive who, he says, demonstrated an appetite and enthusiasm for the task.

“From the very beginning it was very clear that the two presidents and their

supporting sabbatical officers had a common ambition which made it easy to find common ground. There was an energy there to want to get things done.

Even so, we still had a lot of things to resolve – different expectations, different historical styles and approaches that we had to merge into one new approach,” he explained.

“From the very beginning it was very clear that the two presidents and their supporting sabbatical officers had a common ambition which made it easy to find common ground.”

One of the biggest obstacles to overcome was figuring out how democracy would work across a spread campus, rather than a single campus which has been the Athlone experience to date. “We had to come up with a credible democratic and accountability process that would work notwithstanding those geographic challenges,” Senan said, adding that they had looked at other multisite campuses, particularly in Northern Ireland, for a best practice approach. An online system was developed to enable officers across the six campuses, who couldn’t physically sit in the same room

without spending wasted time on travel, to conduct business at the highest levels of the council and executive. “I think if we’d done it a year earlier, my own expectations would have been lower – how could you do this if you’re that far apart, but post-COVID, we all unknowingly shifted our mindsets from what was possible online as opposed to face-to-face,” Senan explained.

Over the course of nine joint meetings, commencing in July and culminating in December, Senan helped the SU create a new constitutional framework from scratch, including six accompanying schedules which act as “detailed, operating and procedural documents.”

The reason for this, he explained, is to enable the union to adjust without having to hold frequent referendums. Instead, the new student council, which will act as the senior governing body of the SU, will be empowered to amend the schedules if necessary, in line with the key statements set out in the constitution.

The schedules set out the different roles and responsibilities, from the full-and part-time officers to the SU operations.

They detail things like the terms of reference of committees, election regulations, standing orders for the council and executive, and a nominations committee.

“We’re extremely grateful for the support we’ve received from the presidents of AIT and LIT and from the project directors. Everything we’ve asked for or needed, they’ve given us” Áine Daly,

Su President-Elect, TUS: Midlands Midwest

Currently, the SU operates as an unlimited association; in the new TU, the SU will operate as a company limited by guarantee, which will protect the union and allow the student executive to bring in non-students to advise them. According to Senan, while the politics will be left entirely to the students themselves - setting up a company by limited guarantee will help them in handling finance, dealing with contracts and employing people. “The sabbatical officers will sit as the majority directors of the company but recognising that they do not yet have the skills and experience to get it right all of the time, a number of independent directors and a chairperson will join them on the board to help them make better decisions,” he said. These “wise people” can also be called on in the event of a disagreement about the union’s constitution or any of its schedules that cannot be amicably resolved through debate.

“This is the first time in the context of the amalgamation of these new universities that a students’ union has been ‘up early and best dressed’, ready to go as soon as they get the green light,” Senan explained, adding that the TUS: Midlands Midwest SU will be ready to serve students as soon as the new university opens its doors.

“We approached it with a common goal in mind and that was the creation of a new SU to ensure students across our six campuses were fully represented to the best of our ability.”

The composition of the SU is also changing; currently, in Athlone, there is a president, VP for education and a VP for welfare; in Limerick, they have an overall president, a deputy president and two campus convenors. The campus convenor roles will be turned into VP roles in the new SU. The new SU will have a president, a deputy president for the Moylish campus, a deputy president for the Athlone campus, a VP for education and welfare for Thurles and Clonmel, a VP for education and welfare for Ennis and Clare Street, and VP for education for Moylish and Athlone. “The deputies will be my right-hand people,” said the new SU President-Elect, who was elected in March and will start acting in her official capacity from July 1, 2021. “I’ll have one in Athlone and one in Moylish; they will be my representatives across the different campuses and will be responsible for the day-to-day operations.”

A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie

21

With the help of Senan Turnbull, the TUS: Midlands Midwest SU have agreed on a core executive of nine full-time sabbatical officers and a full-time postgraduate officer. The union’s part-time officers will consist of an EDI officer, a student experience officer, a lifelong learning officer, and an international student officer. There will also be faculty convenors who will fall into the SU executive and work with the TU on quality assurance in each faculty.

“We made them part of our executive to ensure our students’ voices are fully heard and are properly represented within our organisation. They will each have their own work portfolios, so they will all be managing their own working groups and standing committees,” Áine explained. “We want to empower them to run eventually for the full-time officer posts, as we need to ensure sustainability in our structures and that there is always someone to take our place to serve our student body.”

“I was invited to go to Brussels in February 2020 to meet with student representatives from other European colleges to discuss what the ideal university would look like and what future graduates would need. It was a fantastic experience. ” Commenting on what student representation will look like in the new TU, the SU president-elect said it is “all about partnership”, something that already exists very strongly in AIT and LIT and has helped drive the process of amalgamation. “We’re extremely grateful for the support we’ve received from the presidents of AIT and LIT and from the project directors. Everything we’ve asked for or needed, they’ve given us. I think that’s really helped push us on to get our documentation organised so early,” Áine said, citing numerous examples of how the colleges’ executive management supported them throughout the process. She explained that the students’ unions have been heavily involved in flagship projects for TUS: Midlands Midwest from the start: “I was invited to go to Brussels in February 2020 to meet with student representatives from other European colleges to discuss what the ideal university would look like and what future graduates would need. It was a fantastic experience, and I was delighted to attend as an elected student representative for AIT.”

“We’ll keep that same engagement profile between staff and students, and that’s where a TU will always outshine a traditional university.”

Dylan Ryan,

LITSU President

“As the new university grows and settles into its new identity, the SU will continue to adapt to complement its structures to best serve the student body.”

Aside from their involvement with RUN-EU, AIT and LIT SU were asked to participate in an international panel assessment of a TU application. “It was the first time, as far as we’re aware, that a students’ union had been asked to be directly involved in an international panel visit. We received great support from the project directors, and it gave us an opportunity to explain our new structure to the panel and what we’re trying to achieve as a new union,” LIT SU President Dylan Ryan said. Dylan, who was elected to the LIT SU in March 2020, explained that his team and the AIT SU “got along from the start.” “We approached it with a common goal in mind and that was the creation of a new SU to ensure students across our six campuses were fully represented to the best of our ability.”

Smaller class sizes and individualised lecturer/learner interactivity are often considered the hallmarks of an IoT education and contribute to a close knit, friendly campus culture that many regard as AIT and LIT’s special sauce. According to Dylan, the new TU will retain this sense of “togetherness”, staying true to its technological mission. “We’ll keep that same engagement profile between staff and students, and that’s where a TU will always outshine a traditional university.”

He continued: “Becoming a TU will enable us to offer greater support and student representation, especially across our smaller campuses, Ennis and Clonmel.

A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie

We’ve put in place a lot of new structures and processes that will help us represent them even more fully than we do now.”

“The significant expansion at postgraduate level will lead to a large influx of postgraduate students who will make up a significant proportion of the wider student body.”

While traditionally the LIT and AIT SUs haven’t represented students at postgraduate level, Dylan explained that postgrads are a key focus for the new SU, which will involve the appointment of a new, full-time postgraduate officer. “The significant expansion at postgraduate level will lead to a large influx of postgraduate students who will make up a significant proportion of the wider student body. It is only fair that we take this leap to ensure that they are fully represented in the new TU and reflected in our executive,” he said.

The next couple of years will be a learning curve for the new SU, and in that time, the documents that underpin its new constitution will be reviewed regularly to see what is working and what, if anything, needs amending. As the new university grows and settles into its new identity, the SU will continue to adapt to complement its structures to best serve the student body.

23

A Guidance Counsellor’s reflection.

The development of a new technological university for the Midlands and Midwest opens up further opportunities to a wide demographic, not least second-level schools who have built up a strong working relationship with AIT and LIT over the years and decades. To the forefront of those relationships are the institutes’ school liaison officers and the career guidance counsellors they engage with on a regular basis. Two such career guidance counsellors disclose their experiences of working with AIT and LIT, and share their understanding of what a technological university will mean for the future of education in the region.

“The impact of having a university on our doorstep will be huge for our second-level students and, I daresay, their parents, who for so many years have felt the logistical, financial and other impacts of facilitating their children to attend universities in other regions. ”

It was with great pleasure and excitement – both on a personal and a professional level – that I learned of AIT’s momentous advancement to technological university status. As a little girl in the late 1970s and early 1980s, I freely roamed the corridors of what was then the ARTC building, patiently waiting for my dad to finish his work as a lecturer for the day.

to and including Level 10 doctoral degrees. At a Guidance Counsellor Information Briefing in 2019, I took immense pride in the fact that two of my former students were eloquently leading the presentation to brief the group about the courses, faculties, services, supports, research and innovation opportunities available to students at AIT.

As a teenager, during rigorous badminton training sessions, I marvelled at the wonderful Count John McCormack Hall and the facilities which were unmatched at that time in Athlone. A short spell as a TEFL teacher, prior to commencing my second-level teaching career, gave me a wonderful insight into what it might be like to work at such a modern and progressive campus.

As AIT and LIT develop a new technological university for the Midlands and Midwest, I envisage very exciting times ahead! The impact of having a university on our doorstep will be huge for our second-level students and, I daresay, their parents, who for so many years have felt the logistical, financial and other impacts of facilitating their children to attend universities in other regions. As a parent myself and as a guidance counsellor, I look forward to observing with interest what I truly expect will be a monumental advancement in educational opportunity for the young (and not so young!!) students from all around the Midlands, the Midwest and beyond!

In recent decades, I have observed, in admiration, as AIT has gone from strength to strength, rising and adjusting to meet the ever-increasing demands of both the traditional and the lifelong learner. As a guidance counsellor who has worked on the doorstep of the institute for many years, it is with absolute confidence that I recommend AIT to my students, and I experience great satisfaction when I applaud the achievements of so many of my former students who successfully complete their chosen courses, ranging from certificates all the way up

Congratulations to all involved and best wishes for a prosperous future as a technological university.

Darina Doyle Career Guidance Counsellor, Our Lady’s Bower, Athlone.

24

“A technological university will have extra allure to international students and employers through the network of educational, research, employment and exchange opportunities which will grow and develop in the years ahead.

Boundaries will be more fluid, and further valuable links at home and abroad will be forged for the next generation of thirdlevel students.”

Thomond Community College has a strong relationship with LIT, because LIT has always reached out to our school community and offered us the benefits of its educational and training supports and staff expertise.

Our students regularly benefit from mentoring and support from academic and access staff in LIT through their participation in projects and initiatives run collaboratively with Business in the Community, Junior Achievement Ireland, Engage in Education and multi-national and local companies, such as Regeneron, Johnson & Johnson, and Dell.

This valuable engagement at second level paves the way for our young people to realise their potential academically and socially through participation in third-level education and training programmes from Level 6 to 10. This is turn supports them to secure employment and become active members of society after graduation.

The supportive relationship between our school and LIT is a microcosm of the huge potential that can be realised by having a technological university in the Midwest and Midlands region. LIT is responsive to local employment trends, provides relevant

courses tailored to the needs of students and employers so that graduates are much sought after as future employees.

A technological university will have extra allure to international students and employers through the network of educational, research, employment and exchange opportunities which will grow and develop in the years ahead. Boundaries will be more fluid and further valuable links at home and abroad will be forged for the next generation of thirdlevel students. The availability of international co-operative training and education opportunities for TU students would further enhance their employment potential in an increasingly globalised world.

LIT currently hosts off-the-job training modules in SOLAS apprenticeships. These are scheduled to become part of the Central Applications Office (CAO) in the near future as national and international policy has highlighted a need to integrate education and training opportunities for young people.

A technological university in the region is the ideal vehicle to facilitate this integration of academic, technological and practical education training.

Mary O’Sullivan Career Guidance Counsellor, Thomond Community College, Limerick.

A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie

25

Student Voices.

A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie

26

James Clifford Course: Bachelor of Business (Hons) Marketing and Management Campus: Moylish

I began my journey in LIT in 2017 and I remember one of my first lectures, the lecturer stood and the top of the classroom and asked each and every one of us our names. At the end she said that she might not remember all of our names, but she was going to try and from that moment on I knew I was in the right place.

Looking back at my time in LIT, it has been nothing short of unforgettable. The friendships and memories I have created will stay with me forever. I have been presented with a lot of opportunities while studying in LIT such as working with active business, organising and partaking in events to raise money for charity, as well as work on international projects.

There is always a great atmosphere on campus, whether you are on the street, in the canteen or in the Students’ Union; there are always people talking and laughing with their friends. There is a real sense of community in LIT, and I feel that I have become part of a new family.

No matter where I go on campus, there is always a friendly face asking how my day is going (that is why I have to leave 10 minutes before I have to be some place because I am always talking to people).

The support services in place at LIT are outstanding. There are counselling services, doctor and nurse, learning support, library services and many more. Along with the support services, the lecturers are approachable and will go above and beyond what they are expected to do. I have really missed the atmosphere since remote learning has come into place, and I can only hope that I will experience it again.

I am really looking forward to the future of LIT. I believe the TU will bring a lot of benefits to the local community such as greater access to higher education, creating a strong relationship with local business, greater opportunities for students and staff, new research opportunities as well as create collaboration opportunities. I have no doubt that the Midwest of Ireland is going to flourish in the future.

“I believe the TU will bring a lot of benefits to the local community such as greater access to higher education, creating a strong relationship with local business, greater opportunities for students and staff, new research opportunities as well as create collaboration opportunities.”

27

New TU to Provide Solution to New Generation Apprenticeships.

Apprenticeships, including new apprenticeships, will feature significantly in the new technological university, as both AIT and LIT bring with them a wealth of experience and expertise. It was by drawing on this apprenticeship expertise, communicating with staff at the forefront of their delivery and engaging with stakeholders, the joint apprenticeship consortium working group concluded that the technological university for the Midlands and Midwest will be in a position to offer solutions to the new apprenticeship programme.

The “National Skills Strategy to 2025” (Department of Education & Skills, 2016) set out a key objective that employers will participate actively in the development of skills and make effective use of skills in their organisations to improve productivity and competitiveness.

“Looking to the future, the new TU will be able to build on a strong track record and expertise in the development of new generation apprenticeships.”

Dr Pat Gill, Head of Department of the Built Environment, LIT

This led to a new system of national apprenticeships whereby all new apprenticeships post-2016 are led by consortia of industry and education partners, leading to an award level of 5-10 in the National Framework of Qualifications, are 2-5 years in duration, minimum 50% on-the-job learning and flexible delivery. Under this post2016 programme, apprentices are employed under a formal contract of apprenticeship and the employer pays the apprenticeship for the duration of the apprenticeship.

AIT and LIT are already active in the apprenticeship programmes, both pre-2016 and post-2016.

LIT offers pre-2016 courses in motor mechanic, carpentry and joinery, electrical and fitters. Post-2016 apprenticeships are available in manufacturing engineering (certificate), industrial electrical engineering (bachelor’s degree) and manufacturing engineering (bachelor’s degree).

AIT offers pre-2016 apprenticeships in motor mechanics, plumbing and heavy vehicle mechanics and post-2016, apprenticeships in polymer processing technology (bachelor’s degree). Both higher education institutes are also actively engaged with the relevant industrial consortia for the post-2016 programmes and very positive experiences have been reported.

Dr Pat Gill, Head of Department of the Built Environment at LIT, said, “Looking to the future, the new TU will be able to build on a strong track record and expertise in the development of new generation apprenticeships. The policy directions in the latest national review are particularly significant in several aspects. The new TU will be strongly positioned to contribute to future reforms as they arise.

Improvements in employer engagement are being sought.

Both AIT and LIT already have strong networks into the private sector, and the new TU will be able to extend this to encourage still further employer engagement in support of the national apprenticeship policy.”

Joe Lawless, Head of Department of Civil Engineering and Trades at AIT, said, “The national review also signals a re-look at funding models, so maybe employers will be given enhanced support in the costs of off-the-job training, generating further expansion of the new apprenticeships.

Most importantly, however, the national review is signalling concerns about duplication and multiplicity in the large number of training providers. It is likely that in the future the national system will increasingly favour largescale training providers who possess the appropriate quality assurance procedures. The new TU will thus be well placed to provide attractive solutions.”

“The number of apprenticeships in Ireland is set to double in the next five years, and as a bigger entity, we will be better placed to play our part in supporting these ambitions” Joe Lawless, Head of Department of Civil Engineering and Trades, AIT

The growing emphasis on apprenticeship and skills education was the focus of Working Group 5. The apprentice route to education is recognised as a key ingredient in engaging with segments of the wider regional population who may not traditionally have considered higher education. The “earn and learn” model proves attractive to students who wish to earn a living while also learning a valuable skill and receiving an internationally recognised qualification. This form of learning opens up higher education to a cohort of school levers who excel at learning by doing and experiencing the job first hand.

Apprenticeships are also a valuable means whereby the technological university will improve the skill levels of the employed workforce, allowing a generation of employees to upskill while continuing to work in their chosen field.

Chaired by Dr Pat Gill, Head of Department Built Environment at LIT, and Joe Lawless, Head of Department of Civil Engineering and Trades at AIT, the Apprenticeship and Skills Education Group concentrated on the approaches to apprenticeship provision and defining areas for growth and new apprenticeship, while maintaining a focus on the student experience, transversal skills, progression and mobility.

Dr Gill explained that the process undertaken by the Apprenticeship and Skills Education Working Group benefited significantly from engagements with internal staff from both AIT and LIT and this was supplemented by interviews with external stakeholders.

“There was a broad spectrum of trades staff from both institutes involved. It was their input that ensured a detailed and thorough report on apprenticeships was submitted as part of the TU application. The findings of the working group also highlighted our greater vision for the role of apprenticeships in the new technological university and the impact of these new apprenticeships on employment and development in the regions.”

Mr Lawless said of the process, “From our deliberations, we were able to highlight the importance and significance of the role that trade apprenticeships will have in the new TU. The number of apprenticeships in Ireland is set to double in the next five years, and as a bigger entity, we will be better placed to play our part in supporting these ambitions”.

29

Apprentice Profiles.

“Earning while learning is also a huge bonus, but the most important element is knowing that I will receive an internationally recognised qualification from a technological university in just one more year”

Mairíde Bennis wanted to learn a skill and have an internationally recognised qualification, but she also knew she had no interest in spending days on end in the classroom. School had taught her that.

This young woman from Castletowncornyer, Co. Limerick, sought education through a hands-on, practical experience in a real industry setting, learning invaluable skills from experienced employees and experts in their field. On leaving school she knew she wanted to learn through apprenticeships.

Mairíde Bennis Second Year Manufacturing Engineering, LIT

Today, Mairíde is earning and learning as a second year Manufacturing Engineering Apprentice in LIT. Mairíde explained, “I always had an interest in an apprenticeship as I didn’t like the sit down and learn aspect of school.

In school my favourite subjects were engineering and DCG (Design and Communications Graphic) not least of all because I could achieve up to 60 or 70% from the practical elements of the subjects ahead of the written exam. It meant way less pressure on the day of the Leaving Certificate.

“I love practical work in general and loved working with my hands from a young age. My Nanna and my mother both had a toolbox when I was growing up. I would watch them putting up shelves and other such jobs around the house, so doing practical work was the norm. Growing up on a farm also gave me the mentality of doing.”

When Mairíde finished secondary school, she joined DesignPro Automation and began “doing”. The Limerick company soon offered the enthusiastic employee the apprenticeship she had hope for.

“I went into DesignPro with the intention of doing a four-year Level 6 Toolmaking Apprenticeship, but a three-year Level 7 Manufacturing Apprenticeship was preferable, as it wasn’t as narrow and let me get experience in lots of different subjects, such as design, automation, robotics, quality and more.”

“Earning while learning is also a huge bonus, but the most important element is knowing that I will receive an internationally recognised qualification from a technological university in just one more year,” she added.

A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie

Joseph Diffley is among the first cohort of graduates from the Bachelor of Science in Polymer Processing Technology (Apprenticeship) developed by Ibec in conjunction with AIT. When he finished his Leaving Certificate in 2012, he had never heard of someone doing an apprenticeship in polymer, not to mind the possibility of doing an apprenticeship by degree.

Though he didn’t know what he wanted to do after school, he knew he had no interest in following in the footsteps of friends that had enrolled in business or ICT courses. “At the time there wasn’t much encouragement to do an apprenticeship; it was all CAO and I had no interest in any of that side of things. My best subjects in school were tech graph and woodwork,” he explained.

Joseph started working part-time with his brother, a heavy plant fitter, before a job came up with a US manufacturing company based in Ballinasloe, Co Galway, as an operator. A year went by and Joseph had worked his way up to moulding operator trainer and later, quality. He was soon put forward for the polymer apprenticeship by his company’s HR manager, who saw value in investing in Joseph’s professional development. “The big appeal was that it was it was a degree and would be recognised as a degree at the end of the day,” Joseph said.

Joseph Diffley

Over the course of his three years, Joseph spent 45 weeks in college, and the rest of the time with his host company, experiencing on-the-job training.

The practical and applied nature of the learning is what Joseph felt suited him best: “College wouldn’t have suited me full time to be honest. I enjoyed the way, as part of the apprenticeship, we always had a lot of labs, a lot of handson learning.”

“College wouldn’t have suited me full time to be honest.

I enjoyed the way, as part of the apprenticeship, we always had a lot of labs, a lot of hands-on learning.”

In his final year, Joseph received an award for “The Best Project” for showing how his host company could save money by streamlining the process of drying a material called PBT, which absorbs moisture, and cutting down on mould changes.

Bachelor of Science in Polymer Processing Technology, AIT

Joseph graduated at the end of last year and in the same week lost his job due to his host company shutting down; however, he was immediately snapped up by Longford Tool and Plastics as a shift manager, overseeing the entire injection moulding shift. Six months later, he landed a job with a large medical device company in Drogheda which make syringes and the tips of diabetic needles.

He is two weeks into his new role of injection moulding technician. “I spoke to lots of recruiters on places like LinkedIn, and people are very keen to learn more about the course and what we’re studying. There’s huge demand in plastics for people who have a real understanding of injection moulding,” he explained.

According to the Roscommon man, the apprenticeship opened a “whole new career path and profession” that he had not known existed and suited his interests well.

31

AIT Meets LIT.

Fiona Quill

Programme Leader of Print Contemporary Practice at the Department of Fine Art in LSAD

“I am currently Programme Leader of Print Contemporary Practice at the Department of Fine Art in the Limerick School of Art and Design, lecturing on both the PCP programme and Year One, while also supervising postgraduate students through ACADEMY, the LSAD centre for research into Art, Creative Education, Applied Digital Design Enterprise, Media and Innovation.

For several years I have been involved with Creative Europe projects which bring opportunities to both LSAD and the wider community. I am also Chair of the Board of Directors of the Limerick Printmakers, a strategic partner to LSAD recognized by the Arts Council Ireland as a leading contributor to the infrastructure of the cultural development in the region.

I look forward to working with AIT, developing strong relationships and programmes through innovation, skills and technology. Our transition to a TU, I hope, will enhance the student experience, expose them to an even richer terrain of education and research, challenge us as educational experts, develop stronger relationships with our European counterparts and offer our graduates opportunities that amplify their career choices. The new TU offers us a strategic opportunity to become leaders in our educational sector which places the student experience at its very core, offering active learning through theory and practice.”

“I look forward to working with AIT, developing strong relationships and programmes through innovation, skills and technology.”

A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie

Adrian Flaherty

Sports Recreation & Facilities Officer, LIT

“As Sports, Recreation & Facilities Officer, I am responsible for facilitating, developing, and fostering student participation in all forms of sporting and physical activities across all LIT campuses. I coordinate the use of all our facilities by local businesses, sporting organisations and other external stakeholders with an emphasis on delivering the community engagement objectives of LIT. The arrival of Covid-19 onto our shores has been a challenging time for all students and staff. There is no doubt that the student experience has been different this academic year, but the Sports Office team have adapted to the new online environment to remain engaged with students and staff, providing them with exercise & wellbeing initiatives to support them during this difficult period.

I am very excited to welcome students back to sporting and physical activity in September as a new technological university. Our combined knowledge and resources will enable us to deliver an enhanced sporting experience for both our internal and external stakeholders. “

“Our combined knowledge and resources will enable us to deliver an enhanced sporting experience for both our internal and external stakeholders.”

Karen Costelloe

Administrator with the Capital Planning & Development Manager, LIT

“I am an administrator working with the Capital Planning & Development Manager in LIT. LIT’s Campus Development Plan incorporates various projects. Each project is informed by the unique requirements of each campus location and the community they are placed in. Education and research, enterprise, sport, culture and community underpin each project, projects we look to develop further as a new TU. My role also incorporates Smarter Travel and I have a keen interest in promoting sustainable travel .

I cycle and walk regularly myself and encourage others to use this as a means of leisure and transport. Perhaps a charity cycle between Limerick & Athlone in the near future could be arranged!

We have had a tough year as we work through the Covid-19 pandemic and the TU is new and exciting. My hope is that it will create a new identity by amalgamating our colleges in the Midwest and the Midlands, a new region that will be identified along the Shannon River. One that will provide both an enhanced student and employee experience and assist in the economic , social and cultural development of the region.”

“My hope is that it will create a new identity by amalgamating our colleges in the Midwest and the Midlands, a new region that will be identified along the Shannon River.”

33

LIT Meets AIT.

Dr Ashling Jackson

Dept. of Social Sciences, AIT

“I work as a senior lecturer in the Dept. of Social Sciences in AIT. I lecture in sociology, community development and research methods, and supervise postgraduate research. I am coeditor of Learning on the Job: Parenting in Modern Ireland (Oak Tress Press, 2015) and Community Development in Ireland: Theory, Policy and Practice (Gill and Macmillan, 2012). Since 2016, I have been joint editor of the Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies. I am a founding member and a coordinator of the Parenting and Family Studies Alliance (Ireland) and actively involved in the European Family Support Network. My research interests are in the areas of parenting, the family, social change and social inequality. I am particularly interested in the co-production of knowledge and models of best practice for service user groups using qualitative research methodologies/methods.

The new TU is a very exciting development. It will provide a range of educational opportunities for students up to PhD level, thereby contributing dynamically to educational provision regionally, nationally and internationally. I welcome all the possibilities that it presents, such as future collaborations with colleagues in LIT and the development of research synergies. I am delighted to be part of this progressive ‘next step’ in AIT and look forward to working with my new colleagues in LIT.”

“I am delighted to be part of this progressive ‘next step’ in AIT and look forward to working with my new colleagues in LIT.”

A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie

Prof. Clem Higginbotham Department of Mechanical and Polymer Engineering, AIT

“I am a lecturer and principal investigator in the Department of Mechanical and Polymer Engineering at AIT. My education was in UCD where I obtained a PhD in organic chemistry. I returned to UCD as a Newman Scholar after several years of postdoctoral research abroad. I then took up the position in AIT. My passion for teaching and thrill of interacting with students makes this a dream job.

My research interests include developing novel biomaterials for applications in drug delivery and tissue engineering. I founded the Materials Research Institute in 2005, of which I was the director for ten years, and secured funding for the establishment of the Applied Polymer Research Centre, in which I am a principal investigator.

I have been involved with AIT rugby for the past 20 years, more recently coaching the women’s team to three All-Ireland titles. I also have a passion for music and, as a pianist, I started a college band with a group of colleagues several years ago.

I have always been involved in inter-and multi-disciplinary research and the TU will give me the opportunity of collaborating with new colleagues in exciting new research areas.”

“I have always been involved in inter-and multi-disciplinary research and the TU will give me the opportunity of collaborating with new colleagues in exciting new research areas.”

Jenny Cooper Access Officer, AIT

“I believe that at the heart of the collaboration between AIT and LIT is a common goal, the student. This sense of unity and purpose was demonstrated when the pandemic hit. The challenges we faced were overcome thanks to the speed and expertise that both institutes demonstrated and the desire not to disadvantage the students in any way.

From my 16 years in AIT working in a student-focused environment, I relish the opportunity to develop and grow the relationships already established between AIT and LIT and look forward to the future where innovation, drive and, of course, the student experience will be significant factors.”

“I relish the opportunity to develop and grow the relationships already established between AIT and LIT and look forward to the future where innovation, drive and, of course, the student experience will be significant factors.”

35

Working Group Spotlight.

The Approach to Teaching and Learning in the New TU

Nuala Harding

Dr Michael Ryan

Learning and Teaching, AIT

Learning and Teaching, LIT

Work has continued apace on the expansion of TUS: Midlands Midwest’s curriculum development framework which encompasses learning, teaching and assessment approaches that underpin the applied focus of education in a technological university.

Chaired by Nuala Harding, AIT, and Dr Michael F. Ryan, LIT, the teaching and learning group are working to identify the most effective and innovative pedagogical approaches for implementation in the new university. This is building on the excellent work already underway in each institute. Staff will have the freedom to select pedagogies of engagement through applied and active learning, that best suit their disciplinary context. Team Based Learning (TBL), where students engage with materials prior to class and then engage with the materials in class through structured application exercises, after individual and group assessment, is just one of the approaches being considered.

The group are also looking at design-based models, particularly in engineering, which incorporate project-orientated learning in addition to problem-based learning.

The educational philosophy of the new university is also being developed. The focus will be on collaboration and co-creation, where students and staff actively work together to generate and share knowledge. A key facet of this educational philosophy is the development of graduate attributes, which will be overarching in programme design and throughout the student experience.

Heretofore, the traditional approach to education involved a transmission model, whereas currently collaborative and coconstructivist approaches are favoured. These enhance the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills through engagement in real world, problem-type scenarios. This partnership approach encourages students to use knowledge, create knowledge, and share knowledge. This philosophy will focus on the holistic development of the student and prepare them for the 21st century workplace.

Central to the educational philosophy is the idea of developing the university as a learning community for both students and staff.

Incorporating principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) will enable a diverse student cohort to be successful, including international students. Taking a scholarly approach that links research with teaching and learning; students will experience research throughout their programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. This will be enabled through access to lecturing staff who are actively engaged in research, through project work or through the authentic assessments that students are required to complete.

“The focus of the new university will be on collaboration and co-creation, where students and staff actively work together to generate and share knowledge.”

Staying true to its technological mission, the new university will be committed to an applied, experiential education with a focus on the development of digital skills. In addition, the teaching and learning group are also exploring a new model for apprenticeships, which can progress from NFQ Level 6 right through to PhD level. The new university will leverage the exciting national policy changes in apprenticeship education with the focus on ‘earn and learn’ apprenticeships.

A broad range of staff across both institutes are collaborating in the working group, including vps for academic affairs and registrars, department heads, representatives from academic staff, and members of the Learning and Teaching Unit across AIT and LIT. Both institutes have a long track record in professional development of staff, engagement with innovative pedagogic approaches, research projects, and scholarship which will help facilitate a smooth transition into the next phase of the TU project.

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Students and Staff. #DeliveringTogether

A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie A Technological University for Region