28 Partnership in Innovation Fellowship Awards for ATU

Building a university greenhouse, introducing a Peer Led Wellness Café in a third level setting, and developing student-led solutions to combat the emergence and increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) are among the 28 ATU Partnerships in Innovation Fellowship Award projects that have received funding under a new learning and teaching initiative for technological universities titled ‘N-TUTORR – Transforming Learning’.

Under the initiative 131 projects across Ireland’s technological universities and institutes of technology have received funding to a total value of more than €650,000. The projects involve collaboration between students and staff and focus on enhancing the experience of students at technological universities.

The 28 ATU projects will receive up to €5,000 each in support. The projects which are informed by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, include one entitled, ‘University Greenhouse’.

For this project, the team plans to build a university greenhouse to enable students to grow and harvest fresh produce. The ATU Green Campus society will play an active role in promoting the use of the greenhouse. With experienced students and staff, available to guide them non-experienced growers will learn how to grow and manage food production.

Davy Walsh, lecturer in Applied Social Care and Outdoor Education said: “The University Greenhouse project is a great opportunity to introduce basic horticulture skills to a whole generation of people who want to embrace sustainable living in a more practical fashion. The greenhouse will help foster new communities of interested, like-minded students, staff and volunteers who may not have the space or the skill to grow their own food. I really hope that the little bit of ‘know how’ they gain from this project will be enough to instil a sense of confidence to continue to grow vegetables long after they have finished their university degrees.”

To find out more about the ATU Partnerships in Innovation Fellowship Award projects please click here

Announcing the N-TUTORR funded projects on 23 May, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris said: “I am delighted to announce the exciting enhancement projects receiving funding today as part of the new N-TUTORR project. This is an innovative, whole-sector collaboration across the Technological University sector that aims to transform the student experience. Collaboration between students and teachers, in co-creating projects to support innovation and enable student success, will enrich the teaching and learning experience, as well as contributing to Ireland’s progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.”

About N-TUTORR

N-TUTORR is a project for Ireland’s technological university sector, that brings together technological universities and institutes of technology, to develop and deliver on the National Technological University Transformation for Recovery and Resilience programme. The programme is EU funded and overseen by the HEA and THEA.

N-TUTORR aims to transform learning, teaching, and assessment by focussing on transforming the student experience and developing staff capabilities to address a sustainable pedagogical and learning environment with particular focus on digital transformation in teaching and learning, sustainability, and equality, diversity and inclusion.

“Learning positively impacts our society, economy and the environment. The N-TUTORR programme is a significant development of new ways to learn and teach, so that teachers and students are equipped with relevant skills for the future. It is one of many initiatives helping to shape the Technological University sector for the next generation.”

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

N-TUTORR Student Champions

The N-TUTORR programme has also recruited student champions. Their role is to develop student engagement and empowerment. The student champions will engage with the development of an initiative under one of the following N-TUTORR thematic areas:

• Academic Integrity

• Digital Transformation in Teaching and Learning

• Education for Sustainability

• Employability

• Equality Diversity & Inclusion (EDI)

• Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

We have 22 N-TUTORR student champions in ATU.

What our N-TUTORR student champions say

“Being a student champion enables me to have a direct impact on the development of the student experience within the TU sector. The role of student champion strengthens my voice and allows me to collaborate with others in developing and enriching the teaching and learning experience within technological universities.”

Éimear Coyle

“I’m honoured to be part of the N-TUTORR program and hope to help create a safe and healthy environment where everyone can flourish and grow.”

Putul Matin

“I am excited about my role as a champion on the N-TUTORR Project which spurred my interest given the opportunity to be a part of a great initiative focused on educating and empowering the students who are leaders of tomorrow to be ‘sustainable leaders’. I hope to work alongside a great team of similarly passionate and enthusiastic sustainable change-makers on collaborative efforts to a sustainable and inclusive future. I am also interested to see, be part of and learn from the roll out of digital initiatives in furtherance of transforming higher education student experience toward a learning environment focused on innovation and sustainability.”

Dhanushi Rodrigo

“I am a postgraduate student completing a Master’s by Research. I am delighted to have been selected as an N-TUTORR student champion in EDI. This role means a lot to me as a student with a disability and a disability advocate. I will work to ensure that all students find equity in their educational journey and work with stakeholders to remove any barriers that stand in their way. I want to listen to the student voice on what they need and advocate for their needs.”

Vicky Matthew

“I took on the role of student champion as Covid really knocked back my college experience. I figured there was no time like the present to get involved! I’m excited to be a part of ATU and the new projects we’re running to make a difference to students’ lives and to make their experience as fulfilling as possible!”

Emma Weston