TU Newsletter Edition 1 Ireland’s Next Technological University Students and Staff #DeliveringTogether
Foreword.
Prof Tom Collins has an extensive background in higher education and was most recently chair of the governing body of DIT, IT Blanchardstown, and IT Tallaght during the formation of Technological University Dublin
T
he increasing participation in higher education has been a defining feature of recent decades in Ireland. In the mid1960s, only about 5% of the Leaving Certificate cohort went to university or other third-level college. Today, more than two thirds of the cohort go on to higher education. So, from being a marginal, albeit elite, option up to the 1960s, higher education participation has now become the norm for school leavers and the phenomenon of higher education has emerged as a key national policy domain.
2021, it is intended that the Munster Technological University will come into being. It is envisaged that the AIT - LIT Consortium will be the third such university to come into existence on 1 September 2021. Transformational organisation change of the scale necessary to make a successful application as a TU involves winning the minds and hearts of all concerned. To be successful it must be a coalition not only of the willing but of the enthusiastic. Staff in particular must experience the process as inclusive, engaged and transparent where they are involved not only by knowing what is underway but in shaping what is underway. Students must also be involved and consulted.
“Ultimately, the Hunt Report of 2011, which set out a national strategy for higher education to 2030, would acknowledge the evolution of the sector by proposing the establishment of a number of technological universities in Ireland.”
The regional technical colleges, first established in the early 1970s with World Bank support, emerged as a key plank of national policy in extending higher education access. As is often the case with public policy in Ireland, new departures can get ambivalent receptions from their creators and be embraced with a certain reluctance by the policy makers. As such, they were established as sub-degree providers within the then VEC structures. Over time, it is probably true to say that the RTCs had been on a gradual trajectory of development which meant they grew to look increasingly like universities. In the 1990s, the RTCs came to be elevated to institutes of technology. These would ultimately gain delegated degree awarding powers. A wider academic programme, which included areas like social care, health, sport and nursing, was introduced to supplement the traditional science, engineering and business disciplines. The research agenda would grow and the regulatory structure would move from the Department of Education to the HEA. Ultimately, the Hunt Report of 2011, which set out a national strategy for higher education to 2030, would acknowledge the evolution of the sector by proposing the establishment of a number of technological universities in Ireland through the coalescence of various IOTs. The Technological Universities Act (2018) provided the enabling legislation for this next evolutionary stage and set down the criteria for designation as a TU. TU Dublin, formed from DIT, IT Tallaght and IT Blanchardstown, was the country’s first TU. The decision to designate it was announced in July 2018, just four months after the passage of the legislation through the houses of the Oireachtas and three months after the submission of the application for designation. The new unitary institution became a legal entity on 1 January 2019. On 1 January
In this process in AIT – LIT, a comprehensive structure for staff and student input has been developed and an ongoing communication process has been rolled out. This has included the establishment of two joint staff steering groups - the Academic Steering Group and the Professional Services Steering Group, two IR fora involving the TUI and the Professional Management and Services Unions from both institutions, multiple joint working groups and an online staff survey conducted in May and June last. A similar survey was conducted with students. All of this activity was conducted in the middle of a pandemic in which almost all of the many meetings were conducted remotely, and during which staff had many other issues and challenges to deal with. On the adage that there is never enough communication, this newsletter aims to keep staff, students and external stakeholders updated on all aspects of the process as it unfolds, particularly as we approach the point of making the application for designation. It is envisaged that it will be the first of four such newsletters, each marking a particular staging point in the evolution of the consortium towards a unitary entity and its emergence as Ireland’s third TU. Professor Tom Collins Project Facilitator, AIT – LIT Consortium
A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie
A Word from the Presidents.
O
ver the last 10 years, it has been our stated ambition to become a technological university capable of transforming the region and impacting on lives regionally, nationally, and internationally. The scale of what has been achieved since the formation of the AIT – LIT Consortium in terms of reaching and surpassing the TU metrics and increasing our research capacity is immense.
“The impact of the new TU on our region will be significant, as identified in our socioeconomic study that forms part of our application.” From the outset, we committed to delivering a TU in partnership with students and staff, which is evident through the high level of engagement and work that has taken place right across the project. Over 200 staff members in 20 working groups were involved in shaping the new TU. Our Student Unions from across the campuses have been instrumental in shaping and defining their vision for a new SU and in championing the student’s voice throughout the process. Our joint governing body has also been extremely supportive throughout this journey and has guided us in realising our ambition as a consortium. The impact of the new TU on our region will be significant, as identified in our socioeconomic study that forms part of our application. The AIT - LIT Consortium has a key role to play in the future development of the Midlands and Mid-West regions with an estimated combined impact on the Irish economy of €418.5 million in economic output. It will also have a role to play in ensuring a better balance of spatial development nationally and will position the Midlands and Mid-West to drive this connectedness. We are now in the final stages in submitting our application and preparing for an International Panel visit when we will defend our application. In September 2021, we expect to open our doors as Ireland’s newest technological university. None of this would be possible without the enthusiastic and passionate staff across our institutions who are hard at work to deliver a technological university for the Midlands and Mid-West. Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin, President, Athlone Institute of Technology.
W
e are on a technological university journey together, one that started some years ago in LIT and AIT, and one that has gathered pace since our consortium came into being in October of 2019. The stage we are at now is one of the final critical gateways that we have to go through. Once our application is lodged with the HEA, our pathway becomes even more clearly defined as our proposal is assessed and we look forward to a visit by the International Panel.
“Our strategy is rooted in ambition and consensus, and the form and direction of new TU will be informed by the views of staff on all campuses.” Of course, this application comes against a background of years of preparation and the adoption of complementary strategic directions in both institutions that allowed us to form a consortium and travel to where we are now. Significantly, this all means that we now meet the TU criteria, substantially helped by the €2 million in government funding for initiatives including staff PhDs and increased postgraduate student numbers. Our strategy is rooted in ambition and consensus, and the form and direction of new TU will be informed by the views of staff on all campuses. The staff survey conducted over the summer has uncovered a new commonality of purpose and intent across LIT and AIT – a shared desire to centre our effort on our students and to provide access to high-quality higher education to those who would benefit from it, regardless of background or geography, a concern with the development of our regions, and a set of shared values. Of course, this is reinforced by the complementarity in our academic offerings and our pedagogical approaches as well as our attitude to applied research. I wish to thank the very many staff who have been directly involved in the TU project to date, whether through working groups or other means. I know all of that work will bear fruit through a new institution, greater than the sum of its parts, which will be better positioned to serve our students and our regions into the future. Professor Vincent Cunnane, President, Limerick Institute of Technology.
Breaking News - TU Submission.
Spanning multiple campuses, the new TU will transcend geography and bring new opportunities and access pathways to learners across Ireland.
A Shared Vision for the Future The AIT - LIT TU Consortium will officially begin the process of creating a new technological university for the Midlands and Mid-West in the coming weeks, when a formal application is submitted to Government. The HEA will accept the application on behalf of the State and this in turn will trigger a series of events that should see the new TU in situ as early as next September. The assessment process is expected to move at pace with an international panel to visit all campuses (virtually) in January and interview staff and students, before making a recommendation to Government.
“The AIT - LIT Consortium has met the key metrics required for TU designation.” The application being submitted is largely built on the work of approximately 200 staff members from across both institutions and through working groups under the leadership of the TU project directors, Terry Twomey and Dr Niall Seery, project facilitator, Prof Tom Collins, and the presidents of both institutions - Prof Vincent Cunnane and Prof Ciarán Ó Catháin. The AIT - LIT Consortium has now met the key metrics required for TU designation. Independent auditors, BDO, have confirmed that the consortium has surpassed the target of 4% research students, with a figure of 4.28% across both institutions. The target for flexible, industry, and part-time programmes is set at 30%. The independent auditors have reported that this figure has reached 54% in industryled programmes across the AIT - LIT Consortium. Reaching 45% staff doctoral level or equivalent - 35% PhD level and 10% equivalent - was always going to be a significant target for the institutions, but that final target too has been reached. Cognisant of the need to maintain the strong student-centred ethos and steadfast working relationships with industry and the community built up over decades by both institutions, the consortium has ensured staff and student surveys have remained central to its work. In June this year, a staff survey which 657 staff members responded to (a 55% response rate) found that staff at AIT and LIT strongly held the view that the student-centred approach of both institutions should remain central to the new TU. The AIT - LIT Consortium has also carried out a socioeconomic impact study, student survey and governance research, and a process is also in place to discover a name for the new technological university. Following this timeline, AIT and LIT will both cease to exist as separate legal entities from next September and will instead form a new technological university.
A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie
Breaking News.
AIT - LIT Consortium Awarded €5 Million for Technological University Bid Earlier this month, the AIT – LIT Consortium received a major funding boost to assist in its progression towards achieving technological university (TU) status. The consortium was awarded a further €5 million from the Higher Education Innovation and Transformation Fund to help actualise its ambition. The news was announced by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris as part of a multi-million euro investment into the higher education landscape.
“As anchor institutions in their respective regions, technological universities will drive and support social, cultural and economic development, as well as deliver an enhanced student experience and range of options to learners..” Minister Harris called the creation of TU’s a “key commitment” for Government and said they would deliver “significant advantages to national priorities in relation to access, research-informed teaching and learning, as well as supporting enterprise and regional development.” “This is welcome news and demonstrates confidence in our forthcoming application for TU designation,” said AIT President Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin. “It is an important juncture in our journey as we prepare to create a new entity capable of sustaining social, economic and industrial growth across the region.” He continued, “Achieving TU status will enable us to connect knowledge creation with industry
partnerships to grow and support collaboration, ultimately helping attract investment through a strong talent pipeline of graduates.” Echoing this sentiment, LIT President Professor Vincent Cunnane called the landmark funding “another important step on the road to a new TU for Ireland’s Midlands and Mid-West.” “This funding will help us to build on the significant progress made by the consortium on foot of last year’s €2 million landscape funding, and allows for deepening interactions, particularly around research attainment, academic endeavours and system-wide integration,” he explained. The development of technological universities represents a radical re-structuring of the Irish higher education landscape. As anchor institutions in their respective regions, technological universities will drive and support social, cultural and economic development, as well as deliver an enhanced student experience and range of options to learners. Overseeing the progress of projects awarded under the fund, Dr Alan Wall, CEO of the Higher Education Authority, explained that the body would be closely monitoring awardees “to ensure continued growth in momentum and the tangible delivery of results from this investment.” A significant body of work has been undertaken on the TU project since the formation of the AIT – LIT Consortium in October last year. The consortium has engaged in an extensive stakeholder consultation process, with partners drawn from academic, industry and public life helping to shape the direction of the new TU.
A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie
“Achieving TU status will enable us to connect knowledge creation with industry partnerships to grow and support collaboration, ultimately helping attract investment through a strong talent pipeline of graduates.” Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin, President, Athlone Institute of Technology.
Our Journey. The AIT - LIT Consortium’s goal is the formation of a contemporary technological university with a regional focus that will benefit students, staff and the communities it serves. Becoming a technological 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.
October 2019 Joint management steering group for the TU project established.
June 2019 Governing bodies approve formation of TU consortium.
February 2019 Governing body consideration of strategic futures of both institutes.
September 2019 Landscape funding of â‚Ź2m announced to commence TU project. May 2019 First joint meeting of AIT and LIT executive management teams.
A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie
January 2020 Joint project directors and pro facilitator appointed to lead TU project development.
March 2 Consult represe
November 2019 Governing bodies of AIT and LIT approve the AIT - LIT Consortium.
oject U
April 2020 AIT - LIT Consortium metrics audit by Deloitte.
October 2020 TU application finalised
June2021 Designation of TU
May 2020 Professional Services Steering Group and working groups established.
2020 tation fora with employee entative bodies established.
January 2021 International Advisory Panel visit. October 2020 Landscape funding of â‚Ź5m announced to progress TU project.
September 2021 Ireland’s newest TU opens
Project Structure . The TU project team is empowering staff-led teams to address specific work packages aimed at delivering the technological university. The project is being facilitated by Prof Tom Collins who has an extensive background in higher education and was most recently chair of the governing body of DIT, IT Blanchardstown, and IT Tallaght during the formation of Technological University Dublin. Presidents of AIT and LIT Prof Ciarán Ó Catháin and Prof Vincent Cunnane are leading the TU project team and Joint Management Steering Group as project sponsors. Meanwhile, the project directors, Dr Niall Seery (AIT) and Terry Twomey (LIT), are developing the project’s goals and objectives as part of the application for TU designation.
Joint Governing Bodies Steering Group
LIT Governing Body
LIT Senior Executive Leadership Team
Joint TUI Management IR Forum
MoU Sub-Groups
LIT Academic Council
Joint Management Steering Group
Joint Professional Services Management IR Forum
AIT Senior Executive Leadership Team
AIT Academic Council
Joint TU Project Team
Potential Sub-Groups
Professional Services Steering Group
Academic Steering Group
Working Groups 1-8
AIT Governing Body
Working Groups 15-20
A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie
Working Groups 9-14
Spotlight . The ORCID Project – Connecting Research with Researchers
Dr Johanna Archbold , Institute Librarian, Athlone Institute of Technology.
Working Group 19, co-chaired by Dr Johanna Archbold (AIT) and Jerald Kavanagh (LIT), is responsible for setting up ORCID cross institutionally to capture broader research outputs and professional contributions, and to be the basis for future research infrastructure. AIT and LIT joined the Irish ORCID consortium in spring of this year with the goal of building a shared academic, research and professional identity. ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor Number), a non-profit organisation set up by researchers, forms part of the wider digital infrastructure needed for researchers to share information on a global scale. The platform enables transparent and trustworthy connections between researchers, their contributions (awards, memberships, publications, peer-review, service and more), and affiliations by providing an identifier, an ORCID ID, for individuals to use with their name as they engage in research, scholarship, and innovation activities. ORCID reaches beyond traditional academic and research boundaries to include professional staff too, allowing for the recognition of academic and research activities that can falloutside the narrow definition of what it means to be research active. It provides staff with an opportunity to share the full range and diversity of their activities, the totality of which is not captured anywhere else within current organisational systems. By giving equal weighting to membership and service, funding and works, ORCID allows for recognition of the broader scope of academic and research contributions.
“ORCID reaches beyond traditional academic and research boundaries to include professional staff too, allowing for the recognition of academic and research activities that can falloutside the narrow definition of what it means to be research active.” Ongoing growth and adoption of the ORCID platform across both institutes demonstrates the direction of travel in terms of researcher profile and active outreach to the research community. This project has both strengthened the working relationship of AIT and LIT’s libraries and built a strong foundation for an ORCIDengaged academic and research community. It has also established a core principle of the new TU that academic and research contributions, beyond just peer-review publications, are valued and recognised for their professional, sectoral and public impacts. The ORCID platform will have longer and deeper impacts for academic, research and professional profiling when it can be connected to internal research and staff systems.
AIT – LIT Consortium Form a European University with International Partners .
The Netherlands Stenden University of Applied Sciences
Ireland Athlone Institute of Technology
Finland
Häme University of Applied Sciences
Ireland Limerick Institute of Technology
Hungary Portugal Polytechnic of Cávado and Ave
Portugal
Polytechnic of Leiria
Austria
FH Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences
Széchenyi István University
New European University will Open Mobility Pathways for Students, Staff and Researchers The AIT - LIT Consortium has been successful in its application to join a new, forward-thinking education alliance intended to increase collaboration between Europe’s universities. The European Universities Network is part of an EU-wide ambition to create a centralised European Education Area and will enable students to obtain a degree by combining studies in multiple EU countries. The network, which is expected to increase the competitiveness of European universities, will be integral to promoting the kinds of future and advanced skills necessary for social transformation across the European Union. Under the new European Universities initiative, the AIT - LIT Consortium will join its RUN-EU (Regional University Network - European Union) partners in creating one of several new European universities capable of transcending languages, borders, and disciplines. The first phase of this ambitious project is expected to be completed by 2024. An important step forward in AIT and LIT’s internationalisation strategy, membership of the European Universities initiative aligns closely with the consortium’s aims to develop a technological university (TU) which reflects the educational demands and economic needs of Ireland’s Midlands and MidWest. The goal of the new TU is to provide new opportunities and access pathways to learners with the view to sustaining prosperity and industrial growth across Ireland. This will be achieved through practical, experiential learning, strong industry engagement and applied, high-TRL research, and a global mind set. “Membership of the European Universities initiative will aid us in achieving our technological university mission by enabling us to leverage international best practice, increase student and staff mobility while facilitating joint degree and research programmes,” explained AIT President Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin. “Internationalisation has always been at the heart of our educational approach, as it provides opportunities for growth and learning and gives our student body a well-rounded, holistic educational experience. We are looking forward to continuing to collaborate with like-minded higher education institutes across Europe, who see, as we do, the value in sharing knowledge for the benefit of all.”
This was a sentiment echoed by the President of LIT, Professor Vincent Cunnane, who added: “I am very pleased with the success of RUN-EU in being selected as a European university in what was a highly competitive call. With institutions right across the EU bidding for selection, the success of RUN-EU represents a new direction for higher education in Europe.
“The goal of the new TU is to provide new opportunities and access pathways to learners with the view to sustaining prosperity and industrial growth across Ireland.” “Indeed, the selection of RUN-EU is not just a recognition of the standing of technological higher education, but also a recognition of role of regions in the EU’s future. As we move towards TU status, this is a clear endorsement of our approach.” Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris said it marked “the greater internationalisation” of the Irish higher education system and the “huge benefit” to both society and the economy. “The success of our HEIs in this call further underlines Ireland’s commitment to the future of the EU and demonstrates that our higher education system is part of and working with the best in Europe. “It bodes very well for the future experience of our students, academics, and researchers, as [it will provide] many more opportunities to experience international education and other cultures and to build alliances and partnerships as well as friendships for the longer term,” he said. The AIT – LIT Consortium was formed in October 2019 when AIT and LIT announced their intention to form Ireland’s next technological university. The consortium subsequently joined the Regional University Network (RUN-EU) - a precursor to their application under the European Universities initiative. The RUN-EU network consists of Polytechnic of Leiria (Portugal), Polytechnic of Cávado and Ave (Portugal), Limerick Institute of Technology (Ireland), Athlone Institute of Technology (Ireland), Széchenyi István University (SZE) (Hungary), Häme University of Applied Sciences HAMK (Finland), NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands), and FH Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences (Austria).
A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie
AIT Meets LIT. Here we get to know our soon to be new colleagues as AIT meets LIT and LIT meets AIT.
“As a technological university, we will be able to further develop our relationship with business and enterprise and become more involved in research at all levels.” I am the director of quality and the assistant registrar at Athlone Institute of Technology. More recently, I have become involved in the development of the TU project as the deputy director of the AIT - LIT Consortium. I am very excited for this wonderful opportunity for us to become Ireland’s next technological university. Our two institutes combined will offer a variety of educational opportunities for people in our regions, nationally and internationally. As a technological university, we will be able to further develop our relationship with business and enterprise and become more involved in research at all levels. The positioning as a university will help drive our collective research agendas, attract researchers and funding, and further develop our research collaborations. In a world where everything seems to be changing quickly, our reliance on research and technology is ever increasing. It is great to be a part of such an academic initiative that connects the Midlands and the Midwest. Jane Burns Director of Quality and Assistant Registrar, AIT
Limerick School of Art and Design (LSAD) is a our students are endlessly inspiring. It’s a privi passionate about their practice as artists and stimulate creativity. Since I joined LSAD in 20 academic articles, but in that time I’ve also pub nominated for a British Fantasy Award.
I came to LSAD from IT Carlow, where I was H that, from Griffith College Dublin, where I was been part of this LIT community, I’ve acted var Design, head of centre for postgraduate studie I’ve worked on two Creative Europe projects a programmes. I can’t speak highly enough of ou programme leaders in LSAD.
Deirdre Power Photography
We’re living through an extraordinary global sit change. I’m interested in the cross-fertilisation fact, we’ve already enjoyed a visit from AIT col with their head of department to discuss prog programmes. Our staff and students have a gr with national and international colleges and ins greater internal collaboration as we move ahe
Dr Tracy Fahey Head of Department of Fine Art in Limerick School o
A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie
“It has been great to work closely with my compliance and other corporate services counterparts in Athlone in recent times on TU activity.”
an extraordinary and unique place. It’s a hub of ideas; ilege to work with colleagues and students who are designers – and its environment is an ideal place to 010, I’ve completed a PhD in the Gothic and published blished three fiction books, one of which was
Head of Department of Humanities, and before Head of the Faculty of Design. In the 10 years I’ve riously as Head of the Departments of Fine Art and es and director of our research centre, ACADEMY. and on the development teams of new BA and MA ur visionary programme teams, and the amazing
tuation, and it’s important to embrace positive n that can happen as we enter the TU with AIT. In lleagues and students from the BA in Graphic Design gression routes for students onto postgraduate reat history of innovative collaboration via projects stitutions, so we’re excited about the possibilities of ead toward union as a TU.
of Art and Design (LSAD), LIT
My time working for government departments, multi-national corporations and teaching law before coming to LIT meant I brought some experience with me; however, it is the six years since I joined LIT that have been the most developmental and fulfilling of my career. Here, I have worked with excellent leaders and colleagues in an environment that has been enterprising, dynamic and goal-oriented. A barrister by profession, I returned to the world of risk, governance and regulation last year, commencing my current role as information and compliance officer for LIT. I see my challenge as one of servicedevelopment, rather than being directive and instructive; I envisage a service where we hear the business and service needs of faculties and offices and work with them to design compliant process and to keep awareness and knowledge fresh. The COVID climate is something we all wish away but it has been a great demonstration of what we can achieve when we cur le chéile. It has been great to work closely with my compliance and other corporate services counterparts in Athlone in recent times on TU activity. Mutual welcome and esprit-de-corps have been very much in evidence in the working relationships, and I think the new entity will come together with great unity of purpose. Garrett Greene Compliance and Information Officer, LIT
“I can’t speak highly enough of our visionary programme teams and the amazing programme leaders in LSAD for the work that they do to scaffold our portfolio of courses.”
LIT Meets AIT. Life inside and outside of college is very busy but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I have just started my sixth year lecturing in LIT, Thurles Campus, where we have also begun a new course Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Applied Strength and Conditioning. We were delighted to get the course off the ground this semester, despite the challenges set by COVID-19. This new and updated programme was created to fit the ever-changing demands of sport and strength and conditioning. The evolvement of sport is something I am very aware of, both from my days playing inter-county hurling with Kilkenny and now as manager of the Offaly team. I enjoy being able to take examples from this aspect of my life to help explain and inform our work in performance, coaching, fitness, and nutrition in LIT. I was fortunate to enjoy time with Sydney Swans (AFL team) a few years ago, whilst also visiting the 49ers in San Francisco (American Football Team) and spending time in UCLA. All of these experiences have influenced my teaching approach. The theoretical knowledge being complimented from all over the world, including here in LIT, coupled with high level practical experiences is an excellent form of teaching and learning.
“The theoretical knowledge being complimented from all over the world, including here in LIT, coupled with high level practical experiences is an excellent form of teaching and learning.”
I’m currently going into the final year of my Doctorate in Leadership, and hoping to have it completed by the end of 2021. The remainder of the week is spent with my family, who are very understanding of my schedule. If I had more time, I would love to play more golf and make more use of the new bike purchased to do the Ring of Kerry. I’m looking forward to working with new colleagues in the TU and building an influential college for the Midlands and Mid-West of Ireland. Michael Fennelly Department of Sport, Leisure and Tourism, LIT.
A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie
“I hope w as our nu best prac
“The TU will further enhance our research capacity, allow us to build on existing collaborations, and create new opportunities with colleagues across the Mid-West region.” I am a researcher and a lecturer within the Department of Computer and Software Engineering at AIT. I lecture primarily in the areas of computer networks and software engineering. I am also Science Foundation Ireland Funded Investigator in the ADAPT centre, the global centre of excellence for digital content and media innovation, as well as a Science Foundation Ireland Funded Investigator in the CONFIRM centre, a world-leading research centre aimed at developing smart manufacturing technologies. In 2014, we set up the Truly Immersive and Interactive Multimedia Experiences (tIIMEx) research group. Our team includes master’s and PhD students, and postdocs in the areas of immersive (virtual and augmented reality) and multisensory multimedia, QoE, and wearable sensor systems. I expect the TU will further enhance our research capacity, allow us to build on existing collaborations and create new opportunities with colleagues across the Mid-West region. It is an exciting time for all of us involved. Dr Niall Murray Department of Computer and Software Engineering, AIT
we continue to build on this as we become a TU, so that umbers grow, so too will our reputation for modelling ctice in educational provision and research.” I have a dual role within the Institute as a lecturer within the Department of Social Sciences and as a member of the Learning and Teaching Unit. I teach technology related subjects and provide support to staff in the use of educational technologies. I’m also involved in several nationally funded educational projects which have provided me with an opportunity to engage in research within the area of education. This prompted me to undertake a PhD, which (I hope!) will be nearing completion soon. My dual role has given me the opportunity to work with people across multiple faculties, the library, student services and other administrative areas. This has shown me in very practical ways, how everyone is working towards a common goal: the provision of a positive educational experience for students. I’m very proud of AIT’s reputation as a friendly college and one that has its students at the centre of everything it does. As we start a new chapter and become a TU, I hope this will continue. Over the years, I have seen a growing commitment to the scholarship of teaching, alongside the building of research capacity. I hope we continue to build on this as we become a TU, so that as our numbers grow, so too will our reputation for modelling best practice in educational provision and research. I’m looking forward to new friendships, opportunities for collaboration and a new shared identity with our colleagues from LIT. Geraldine McDermott Learning and Teaching Unit, AIT
Student Voices.
Name: Jennifer Fitzpatrick Course: Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Physical Activity and Health Science Campus: Athlone I am a fourth-year student currently studying for a BSc (Hons) in Physical Activity and Health Science. My degree draws upon expertise from psychologists, nutritionists, exercise and sport scientists and public health professionals to provide knowledge and skills to improve the general health of society using exercise programmes, physical activity and nutrition. I am now in the final year of my degree, having started my journey in 2017. I have had such a positive student experience to date. Through AIT, I have advanced my education, made friends for life, and gained essential life skills. My first three years of study were typical of student life in AIT and included face-to-face classes, group coffee breaks, and practical classes in the high-performance labs. While this year has been quite different, one thing remains the same: AIT’s close-knit and supportive campus community. As a college, AIT is extremely dedicated to the success of its students. Being awarded The Sunday Times Institute of Technology of the Year in 2020 and 2018 speaks volumes about the level of services and supports provided to students. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, my lecturers’ endless positivity and academic support are helping to ensure my final year is as stress-free as possible. Lecturers and support staff have made any sudden and unexpected changes brought about by the pandemic anxiety-free through regular communication with students. They have gone above and beyond for students, creating endless resources to help us adapt, for example eBooks and virtual guides. Achieving technological university status is something AIT truly deserves. I expect becoming a university will create many new and exciting opportunities for students, staff and researchers alike. As a science student, I am particularly pleased about the addition of a new state-of-the-art STEM facility intended for the Athlone campus; I expect this will be extremely beneficial for the Midlands and for future academic work in the sciences. I expect to complete my degree next year and will be part of the first graduating class of the new technological university created by AIT and LIT. I look forward to what the future holds in terms of this new university status and the additional STEM facilities planned. This addition is certain to build research capacity and increase the scope of cross institutional collaboration. The future of STEM in the Midlands looks bright!
A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie
A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie
Student Voices.
Name: Maryse Semututsi-Inema. Course: Master of Business by Research Level 9. Campus: Moylish, Limerick. I am currently looking at the impact of social media marketing on mental health awareness for young adults between 18 & 25 in Ireland. My aims is to figure out how to increase mental health awareness through social media marketing and create an algorithm which will provide a quicker response for people seeking help. I may not be the most unbiased to write about LIT because I am a big fan of the institute. LIT reconciled me with studies and proved that with hard work everything can be achieved. I completed my undergrad in LIT and I had an amazing experience. Being Belgian, barely speaking English and having a learning disability, I had a lot of moments of doubts when I arrived in LIT, and my imposter syndrome was taking the best of me at the beginning. However, I was able to find all the support I needed from the Student Support Service. It was an inexhaustible source of help that made my time in LIT less stressful and helped me reach my goals. So, what makes LIT unique and special? Without a doubt - its staff. I had the chance to meet these people who went that extra mile to make a difference in a student’s life. And now here I am, a postgraduate student at LIT, researching, learning and hopefully helping the next cohort of undergraduates in some small way. Starting this journey in the middle of COVID-19, it has been a learning curve. Most of my work is done at home, and I spent one or two days on the campus. When I am on campus you will find me on my laptop or library reading articles, books or peer reviews for my research. LIT offers to all its students who undertake this programme, the possibility of teaching a few hours each semester. I am facilitating Branding tutorials for Year 3 Enterprise, and I believe it’s a win-win for the students and me. As a new graduate, I can provide a unique point of view to the undergrad students. The tutorials or training are provided online over these unprecedented times. Lecturers and supervisors engage even more than before with students, so everyone can be informed about the learning environment while remaining focussed on providing the best learning experience. A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie
A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie
Joint Statement from Chairs of Governing Bodies.
AIT and LIT are coming together to make history. As separate institutes, located in diverse provincial, urban and rural communities, we have, for decades past, served our communities with dedication and distinction. Now together we are building Ireland’s newest technological university.
The enthusiasm of our staff and our students has been overwhelmingly positive in our drive towards achieving technological university status and our governing bodies are fully committed to the dedicated work of our steering group which is now reaching its final stages.
We are not merely in effect merging, but through a process of good will, co-operation, and a common purpose, we are embarking on the creation of a powerful new educational entity for our communities - a new forward-looking technological university serving the Midlands and the Mid-West.
We are eagerly anticipating the visit of the international panel to approve our application in coming months. The future is indeed very bright, and we enthusiastically await the formal creation of the new technological university.
“We draw on a common ethos around access to education and the critical role our institutions play in supporting and attracting industry to the regions to build this new technological university.� Through the AIT - LIT Consortium, our academics, researchers, professional and support staff, students, management and governing bodies have come together to create a partnership based on shared values and a commitment to providing learners with new opportunities and access to pathways previously unavailable to them. We draw on a common ethos around access to education and the critical role our institutions play in supporting and attracting industry to the region to build this new technological university, which will future-proof higher education for our communities through practical learning, industry engagement and applied research.
Liam Rattigan, Chairperson, Governing Body, AIT
Our recent link-up with five other European third-level colleges to become part of the RUN-EU (Regional University Network European Union) under the new European Universities initiative and recognised by the European Commission, is a wonderful example of how we can and do operate together. Our steering groups and working groups have worked in partnership over the past year for the common good and with a practical and effective approach towards the creation of a compelling application for our own TU in the region.
Tony Brazil, Chairperson, Governing Body, LIT
A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie
6
Campuses
250+
Global Partnerships
15,000
Combined Students
A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie
Our Campuses.
Ennis Campus This campus in the bustling market town of Ennis is home to LIT’s expanded level of daytime undergraduate education in Co Clare and the new facility enables a substantial increase in the education offering in the town. A total of five degree programmes in social care work, early childhood education and care, and business are available through the CAO at LIT in Ennis. The LIT Ennis Campus is located on Bindon Street in the town’s historic centre. The high ceilings and expansive windows of LIT’s newest place of learning reflects the history of the building, while the bright modern internal refurbishment speaks to its future as part of a TU.
Moylish Campus The main campus at Moylish Park is located next to Munster Rugby’s Thomond Park and is a short walk from Limerick GAA’s LIT Gaelic Grounds, home of the 2018 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Champions and 2019 Munster Champions. In 2019, LIT and Limerick GAA signed a unique partnership agreement that will yield many advantages for LIT students and TU students of the future, including a dedicated sports scholarship programme. A vibrant campus community, facilities at Moylish include the Millennium Theatre, lecture theatres and science labs, modern computer suites, student support services and the student centre with its radio station and games room. The campus has an impressive range of sports facilities for students, with three full size grass pitches and an all-weather playing pitch, as well as a fitness centre and indoor sports hall. Although the largest of the LIT campuses, the commitment to small class sizes and an open, supportive and friendly environment ensures that student won’t get lost in the crowd.
Clare Street Campus The Clare Street campus is home to the internationally renowned Limerick School of Art & Design (LSAD), a vibrant, living “canvas” for the creation, display and celebration of the artistic talents of the students. It has an award winning reputation, - the Fashion Department is listed in the top 50 worldwide, and it has cutting-edge creative technologies for student learning. With its roots as a place of learning and training going back to 1852, LSAD is one of the most significant providers of art and design education in Ireland. Students learn from leading art and design practitioners; can access excellent workshop, studio and exhibition facilities and where their education is informed by the latest developments in the wider world of art and design.
Athlone Campus The Athlone campus is located in the heart of the Irish Midlands, just outside the town of Athlone. Divided into east and west, and comprising 49 acres, the contemporary campus offers state-of-the-art academic and sporting facilities and world class research and development capabilities. The Athlone campus is home to three strategic research institutes (materials, bioscience, and software) and two technology gateways (APT and COMAND) which drive high-TRL, market-informed research in collaboration with industry partners. The Midlands Innovation and Research Centre (MIRC), a business incubator which provides incubation facilities and business development support for knowledge-based start-ups, is also located on site.
Thurles Campus Thurles is a vibrant town and is a great, central location in which to live and study. Well serviced by the Irish Rail network, it has a growing reputation as a college town. The Thurles campus has a student-centred and friendly campus environment. It incorporates a 200-seater conference centre, lecture theatres, computer suites, science laboratories and specialist games development labs. It also boasts the cuttingedge LIT Sports Lab, a world standard strength and conditioning facility. Further sport developments are planned, including a new, indoor clay court tennis facility and additional GAA facilities for this campus in the town where the GAA was founded in 1884.
Clonmel Campus The digital campus in Clonmel is situated in south Tipperary. Although a small campus, Clonmel provides a relaxed and friendly, yet creative learning space for students and is the centre for our popular and innovative degrees in game art and design, digital animation, and creative media and design.
A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie
In the News.
Making the Headlines “HEA survey shows LIT has the highest rate of full-time employment outside of Dublin.” “AIT delivers Ireland’s first student mental health and suicide prevention framework.” “LIT Questum startup raises €7.4m as they work to improve treatment options for cancer patients.”
“Virtual speech and language therapy could help stroke victims find words.”
A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie
“Irish female artists pave the way for their European counterparts, with the support of LSAD & Wom@rt Programme.”
“AIT leads global research effort to tackle plastic pollution and develop next generation materials.”
Making the Headlines “AIT and NPD Group to launch €1m artificial intelligence Research lab.”
“Cambridge fellow delivers guest lecture to pharmaceutical science students”
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“LIT becomes first Irish member of the association of European renewable energy research centres.”
“State-of-the-art stem facility gets green light at AIT.”
“LIT applied science & IT building progresses as government approves higher education PPP.”
A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie
“€4.3m investment allows lit to increase its course offering in targeted growth sectors in the MidWest.”
AIT Influencing the Region. Athlone’s designation in national planning as a regional growth centre earmarks it for the highest levels of population and employment growth in the Midlands region (with a target of reaching 30,000 people by 2031). This is reflective of how its size and composition has changed in recent years already, growing by nearly 6% over the past five years alone - a faster rate than the national average (4% between 2011-2016). The town’s age profile too illustrates that it is home to very a young demographic - largely under 35 years of age (53%), surpassing the national average (47%). This also holds strong within 60 minutes’ drive from the town (48%). Multilingualism and multi-culturalism are hallmarks for the town, with 23% of its resident population being of a non-Irish nationality. This highlights the impact AIT has had in terms of attracting both students and inward investment to the region. This impact will be further enhanced by AIT and LIT’s ambition to form a new technological university for Ireland’s Midlands and Mid-West. In recent years, both domestic and international enterprise have come to Athlone to capitalise on the region’s emerging research and development scene - which centres around AIT and its multiple research institutes, including the MRI for polymer materials, Bioscience Research Institute (BRI) for bioscience R&D, and the SRI for software innovation. Thanks to AIT’s presence in the region, alongside applied industry partners and the IDA Business and Technology Park, Athlone has emerged as a leading Irish hub for life sciences, technology, and global service providers. The region enjoys a highly skilled workforce, with 30% of people having attained qualifications at third level or above.
A Word from Industry in the Region: “After considering several international locations for our new engineering hub, we opted for Athlone in January 2018, and I can say that we wish we had set up here years ago. With one-third of our current positions already filled, we continue to be impressed with the level of technical and engineering talent available to us in the Midlands, particularly considering our very high hiring-bar.” David Bole, Founder and Owner, Neueda Technologies
“Athlone was our preferred location for several reasons, but none more important than a deep talent pool of well-educated and multilingual people. The presence of Athlone Institute of Technology was also a factor in our decision.” Tod Johnson, Chairman and CEO, The NPD Group
“Since the initial setup of operations in Athlone in 2007, we have invested in building a highly skilled multinational team which services our global activities from Ireland. This investment demonstrates the continued confidence Teleflex has in its ability to source and develop the skills and talent required to support the continued successful growth of the corporation.” Liam Kelly, Chief Operating Officer, Teleflex
Thanks to AIT’s presence in the region, alongside applied industry partners and the IDA Business and Technology Park, Athlone has emerged as a leading Irish hub for life sciences, technology, and global service providers.
A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie
LIT Influencing the Region.
“ The speed we were able to build here - I don’t know if we could have done it anywhere else. To have Limerick behind us and making sure we have what we needed, it was very important to us and LIT is a very big part of that as well.” Fred Austin, Vice President of Quality Control, Regeneron
Government reports, policy, industry findings and studies have repeatedly found that the relationships between research, development, education, and industry are key to the continuous industrial and economic development of the Mid-West Region. Central to these relationships is LIT, which has been identified as one of the biggest factors for multinational and indigenous businesses settling in the region. Over decades LIT has built a reputation of providing a talent pipeline of work-ready graduates and a flexibility to respond to market needs among industry leaders. The latest HEA Graduate Outcome Survey, published this summer, revealed that LIT had the highest rate of full-time employment of any higher education institution outside of Dublin. Of the LIT graduates that choose to remain in Ireland postgraduation, almost two thirds work in counties Limerick, Clare, and Tipperary.
LIT Careers and Employability Services Manager Dr Orlaith Borthwick attributes this success to LIT’s reputation among employers, as an institute that is willing and able to collaborate with industry to develop work-ready graduates, as well as a successful work placement programme. Since its inception in 1852, strong relationships have been formed between LIT and industry that transcend the lab, boardroom, studio, and lecture hall and continue to serve the people of the Mid-West. During the height of the pandemic, these relationships came to the fore and even the frontline, as volunteers from across industry and education in the Mid-West came together in LIT to produce up to 5,000 face shields per week for nursing home workers and other frontline staff. Ultimately, LIT provides the research and educational support to industry that much of the region’s economic growth is predicated on, while strengthening its role as an economic generator at the heart of Ireland’s fastest-growing regional economy.
A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie
A Word from Industry in the Region. Like many senior business people in the region Catherine Duffy, Senior Vice President of Northern Trust Limerick attributes the success of businesses in the region to the highly skilled, innovative and curious graduates emanating from LIT. “Active learning is very important and you can definitely see it in those that come through. They want to know what we’re doing while they’re learning. It means us going down to LIT. LIT students coming up to us. But it is active and it’s not just from the book, and that is really, really important to us.”
Barry O’Sullivan, Johnson & Johnson Manufacturing Platform Lead, has a clear understanding of the long and successful relationship between J&J and LIT. “For us at Johnson & Johnson Vision Care skilled graduates are very important. We have a very highly technical product. Every year we hire graduates from LIT. When graduates come in the door, what do we look for? We look for work ethic, we look for imagination, we look for people who have initiative and will take
Regeneron Vice President of Quality Control Fred Austin is clear why he likes to employ LIT students: “We are doing cutting-edge science and in order to keep doing that and to keep growing, we need the students. I like the LIT students simply because they work hard, they’re smart, they’re committed to the Limerick area and they are able to grow with us. “The speed we were able to build here - I don’t know if we could have done it anywhere else. To have Limerick behind us and making sure we have what we needed, it was very important to us and LIT is a very big part of that as well.”
LIT’s flexibility and adaptability when it comes to developing new programmes and modules was key for Jason Cohen, WP Engine Founder/CTO. “Technology changes, the skills that you need change. So having a comprehensive programme at LIT, with lots of different technologies is useful to being agile, to being able to move quickly with the times, to adjust curriculum. Being able to do that and move as quickly as the tech industry moves, of course that is vital for having folks that are ready to go to work with the relevant skills immediately.”
A Message from the Project Directors.
As project directors, we set out on this journey with specific milestones in mind, each with its own unique set of targets and deliverables. From the outset, our mission has been to conceptualise AIT and LIT as a single entity by evaluating our individual and collective strengths and looking to the future to build upon these as a new technological university. The outputs from our work packages, which encompass academic provision, research capacity and professional services, among many others, have greatly helped us articulate this vision. There is a huge privilege in being involved in a transformational project of this significance. As we stand on the cusp of submission, the first of four key milestones in our TU journey, it is important to acknowledge the excellence of our professional management, support, technical and academic staff who have worked together seamlessly across 20 working groups. The sharing of knowledge and expertise has been hugely positive and has proved invaluable to the overarching TU project. It highlights the commitment, ambition and drive to deliver a technological university for two adjacent regions that have come together under the umbrella of this TU agenda. It has been wonderful to see staff take ownership of the project, seeing the potential of the new university and what it will mean for the communities residing within our combined geographical spread. We started this journey with two substantive TU metrics in mind: 45% of staff required doctorates or the professional equivalency, and 4% of students needed to be engaged in active research either through a master’s or doctoral study. We have achieved and surpassed these metrics, more than doubling our research active student population in a single academic year. This represents significant transformation and indicates latent research capacity across our campuses. This bodes well for the future of our TU, which will be focussed on knowledge creation and development and have authority to award PhDs in all disciplines. Our goal in harnessing this additional research capacity is to bring knowledge to companies within the region through a talent pipeline, ultimately sustaining economic growth and social development.
“The sharing of knowledge and expertise has been hugely positive and has proved invaluable to the overarching TU project. It highlights the commitment, ambition and drive to deliver a technological university” Our educational provision, which is more comprehensive than that of many of our European counterparts (in that we offer some humanities in addition to a large swathe of STEM programmes) will be of an applied nature. As a TU, we will offer an education that is equivalent to what you would find in a traditional university but different in that it is practice orientated. Our graduates will be professionally and technically skilled as an outcome of their programme of study and will be employment ready upon graduation. There is a balancing act between the theoretical and the applied understanding; as a TU, we will put extra emphasis on our students’ applied understanding. With the submission due in shortly, we will soon be looking ahead to the next phase of our TU journey: preparing for a visit from the International Advisory Panel. The panel, likely to transpire virtually given current circumstances, will assess our submission and decide the schedule of events moving forward. Our emphasis will be on capturing the energy, enthusiasm and ambition of our stakeholders for the TU project. We have already seen a groundswell of support from staff, recorded in our TU staff survey – due to be released shortly. Some 55% of AIT and LIT staff committed to completing the survey, with very positive feedback. Finally, as a TU, it is important to stress that our commitment to providing access pathways and progression through the level system will not waiver. We are keenly aware of the high rates of educational deprivation in the region, as outlined in a recent HEA spatial and socioeconomic impact study, and its subsequent impact on employment and upward mobility. The intention is to provide increased opportunities for all learners, including non-traditional learners, through a series of measures aimed at broadening third-level participation.
“We have achieved and surpassed these metrics, more than doubling our research active student population in a single academic year.�
Terry Twomey, Project Director, LIT
A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie
Dr Niall Seery, Project Director, AIT
Students and Staff. #DeliveringTogether
A Technological University for the Region. www.aitlitconsortium.ie A Technological University for Region