ATU Students' Business Ideas Win Them Places on Coveted Student Inc. Programme

Two ATU students and a graduate have won coveted places for their business ideas in the Student Inc Programme. Each student receives office space in ATU’s Innovation Hub, €4,000 seed funding and access to a network of entrepreneurs, trainers, mentors and investors.

Shane Lydon graduated in 2021 with a

BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering (product design stream), and supervised by his lecturer David Keary. During his final year project, he investigated the optimisation of a cooling system for a liquid-cooled two-stroke engine. Using Ansys Software he tested potential systems, researched operating conditions and material properties, and determined factors which improve cooling efficiency where the project yielded significant results.

His business idea “A bladeless modular wind power generation device” shows Shane utilising his knowledge and skills learned over the four years of the programme to develop an emerging technology.”

Mairead Clarke, final year student on the Bachelor of Business (Hons) programme, was supervised by her ATU lecturer Dr Miriam McSweeney who helped develop the prototype using SAP’s Design Thinking methodology. “It’s wonderful to see the fruits of our collaboration with SAP enabling student progression.

Mairead took this excellent business idea and built this prototype software application which people all over the country will welcome on their mobile devices.”

Paul Daly, final year student on the BSc (Hons) Business Information Systems, was supervised by his lecturer Kevin Derrane who says: “It’s beyond heart-warming to see a student’s work come together in this way. Through his own initiative Paul was able to bring his idea “EmployMe” to a place none of us could have imagined.”

The speed of global technological developments has changed the business environment and the role of accountants in this evolving world. Accountants are expected to add value and support decision making by integrating their financial knowledge with new technologies. The Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Digital Accounting will provide accounting graduates with traditional accounting competencies and applied digital technology skills, ensuring graduates have the skillset to operate in current and future business environments.

This four-year, level 8 programme (including a placement) offers a direct pathway into a full-time career in accounting, decision making, systems accounting, digital auditing, process design, business and data analytics, blockchain, and other disciplines.

Lecturers on this programme are highly qualified professional accountants and digital technology specialists, many acting as examiners and lecturers for the professional accounting bodies.

This is a future proof, leading programme in this emerging area. The knowledge, skills, and competencies of the future graduates of this programme are critical and in short supply.

Aidan Clifford, Technical Director with ACCA Ireland (one of the world’s largest Accounting Professional Bodies) said:

“The ATU Galway Digital Accounting degree will provide the skills that add value and support decision-making for future business leaders. This degree will ensure that graduates start working at the higher end of the value chain immediately on graduation.”

To learn more, check out atu.ie/au607

Business Degrees Update at ATU Galway: Practical, Future-proofed, and Flexible

ATU Galway City has revamped its Business degrees, which will start this September. The new courses come with a range of features, including work placements, practical learning in computer labs, teamwork projects, and an opportunity to earn additional accreditations from the Digital Academy, such as Microsoft Accreditation, Quality awards, and other qualifications. The courses are applied and designed collaboratively with employers. Students can change their degree course in the first two years, based on their interests and skills. The work placement option helps students kick-start their career, with many students receiving employment offers from their placement organisations. The courses have been designed to ensure students gain critical skills, such as project management, teamwork, critical thinking, and initiative. The hands-on approach, using case studies, brings business subjects to life, providing a unique and future-proofed educational experience.