A NEWSLETTER FOR OUR COMMUNITY
Minister Simon Harris has announced that the new TU for the west and north-west region will be named Atlantic Technological University. Subject to the relevant legislative processes being completed it will open its doors on 1 April 2022.
Issue 3 | November 2021
Contents Welcome
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Breaking News: Technological University (TU) Name Unveiled
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The TU Naming Timeline
4
Parents, Teachers and Students FAQs What you really need to know about the new TU
5
Communicating with our Stakeholders
7
Reaching out to our Future Students
8
CUA at the Irish Times Higher Options Virtual Open Day
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Students Supporting Students: The New TU’s Students’ Union
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Message from the Students’ Unions’ Presidents
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Staff Supporting Students: CUA’s Student Services
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What is Student Life really like?
20
Meet our Student Services and Affairs Managers
22
Preparing Students for Employment
24
Creating a Diverse and Inclusive TU
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Making our Campuses Safer
30
Graduations 2021
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EDITOR Anne Donnelly LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK Email: anne.donnelly@cualliance.ie
EDITORIAL BOARD Dr Seán Duffy Dr Shirley Wrynn Dr Ciarán Ó hAnnracháin Ann Higgins
DESIGN & LAYOUT Seán Clancy
Welcome from the Editor
Dear Reader, Welcome to Issue 3 of our newsletter for the community. I am delighted to report that the name for the new technological university (TU) has been announced. The new TU will be called Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Ollscoil Teicneolaíochta an Atlantaigh, and you can find out more about this on page three. Colleagues working in communications and marketing across the eight campuses had an important role to play in the naming process. We meet some of them and look at the work they have been doing to ensure all our internal and external stakeholders are kept up to date on our progress towards the new TU launch date. We get a lot of questions from students and parents about what the new TU really means for them. In this issue we answer some of these questions. Having previously worked in Student Services on the Mayo campus I know how important it is to have as much information as possible in terms of third-level options. I hope you will find some of the answers to your questions here. Students are at the centre of everything we do. In this issue we also feature some
of the work being done by our Student Services and Students’ Union teams to support students and give them the best possible allround university experience. We want our students to graduate not just with a degree but with friends for life and resilience to meet whatever challenges life throws at them. We are also celebrating the progress being made in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion with the three institutes recently awarded an Athena SWAN Bronze award. The new TU will be a rich and diverse community where our students and staff will feel valued for their uniqueness. In this issue we bring you the latest updates on our joint efforts to make that happen.
Best wishes, Anne Donnelly anne.donnelly@cualliance.ie
I hope you enjoy reading this newsletter and please feel free to get in touch if you have any queries.
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Your Voice Matters Have you something to say about the TU? What does it mean to you, your family, your organisation, your region? Whether you’re eight or eighty, in school or college, employed, unemployed or retired, we want to hear from you and include your voice in our newsletter. If you would like to feature in a future issue, please email anne.donnelly@cualliance.ie No more than 250 words please! It would be nice too if you could include a short bio and photo. We may edit your piece before we publish. Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Looking forward to the new TU Meet Avery Letterfrack Campus has its very own thirteen-year-old collie called Avery. Her favourite place on campus is the library. She can’t wait for TU designation day and she loves the TU’s new name. She’s the go-to-dog for students and staff in Letterfrack when they need a friendly non-judgemental ear.
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Breaking News
TU Name Unveiled - Atlantic Technological University GMIT, IT Sligo and LYIT (CUA) to become Atlantic Technological University in Spring 2022. The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris has announced the name of the TU in the west and north-west as Atlantic Technological University (ATU). “Atlantic” conveys power, strength, inspiration, creation, vast horizons - a distinctive geography, rich history and shared heritage. This is a hugely ambitious name for a TU with an international reach without borders on the edge of Europe, spanning thousands of kilometers of coastline including the Wild Atlantic Way, a gateway to the rest of the world. Minister Simon Harris said: “I am pleased to be able to announce the name of Ireland’s fourth technological university and that subject to the relevant legislative processes being completed the date of establishment of the Atlantic Technological University shall be 1 April 2022. This means that students of the current three institutes who graduate in this academic year of 2021/2022 and henceforth in the west A NEWSLETTER FOR EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS
Pictured left to right, Dr Brendan McCormack, IT Sligo, Dr Orla Flynn, GMIT and Paul Hannigan, LYIT
and north-west will do so with university qualifications.” Commenting on the final choice, David Wall, Design Director, McCann, said: “The name Atlantic Technological University reflects the deep connections in the region and the ability and ambition to impact at a national and international scale. It expresses a sense of place, incorporating aspiration, scale and geography. It speaks to our unique perspective as an island in the Atlantic Ocean that makes waves on an international stage. The new TU’s name was chosen through extensive research and consultation with students, staff, and stakeholders across industry and education.” Over 3,000 students, staff
and external stakeholders were surveyed by the company as part of the naming process, including public bodies, government agencies, professional bodies, community, alumni and schools’ guidance counsellors. Commenting on the name, the three CUA Presidents, Dr Orla Flynn (GMIT), Dr Brendan McCormack (IT Sligo) and Paul Hannigan (LYIT) said: “We are delighted that Minister Simon Harris has announced that Atlantic Technological University will be the name for our TU. Our university will significantly contribute to the transformation of the educational landscape of this region, driving innovation, research and development and propelling the region on to an international stage.” 3
Issue 3
Breaking News
The TU Naming Timeline April 2019
April 2021
Start of internal consultation process. Staff and students invited to respond to an online survey on the naming of the new TU.
McCann Dublin chosen to assist with the selection of the new TU name and branding process.
June 2019 Findings of online survey presented to the CUA Steering Group.
May / June 2021
November 2021
McCann Dublin and CUA engage with internal and external stakeholders.
Minister Simon Harris announces the name for the new TU.
September 2021 Shortlist of names presented to joint CUA Governing Body and subsequently to the Minister for Further and Higher Edcuation, Innovation and Science.
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Parents, Teachers and Students FAQs Why should I choose to study in a technological university (TU)?
If you come to study in any of our campuses in 2022 you will graduate with a university qualification. A qualification from a TU carries significant prestige both nationally and internationally and will give you many and varied career options. You no longer have to go to a city to get a university degree. Wherever you live in the west and north-west region you will have a university campus nearby. You will have a choice of 8 campuses in 4 counties, Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal. You will find it easier to get accommodation which will be cheaper than in other parts of Ireland. You will be a student in the biggest TU outside of Dublin. The opportunities that will give you are endless. For many students their experience in a TU will be a more positive one than going to a traditional university. See the answer to the next question to find out why.
What’s the difference between a TU and a traditional university?
You will ‘learn by doing’ in workshops, field trips and skills lab. A TU places a strong emphasis on hands-on learning and work placement. The class sizes are smaller which means you will have more one-to-one contact with your lecturers, and you will find it easier to make friends. You will have a choice of many and varied courses from apprenticeship and certificate level (L6) to Doctorate level (L10). There are many progression routes available. For example, you can come in at Level 6 and progress right up to Level 10. If you start a degree and leave after completing two or three years, you will still graduate with a recognised higher certificate or diploma qualification.
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Parents, Teachers and Students FAQs (contd.) Will I be more employable with a TU qualification?
Yes, your qualification is recognised by the National and European Qualifications Frameworks like any other university qualification. As a graduate of a TU, you will have the knowledge and skills to excel in your chosen profession. In the new TU we will continue to focus on practical learning and work placement as we did when we were institutes of technology. Employers tell us that they want graduates who are well-rounded and ready to hit the ground running. As well as giving you valuable work experience, your work placement will give you the chance to make contacts in your chosen profession. Many of our graduates often end up finding employment with the company or organisation where they did their work placement. Our careers services have recently developed a new employability model which we will use to ensure you are placed in the best possible position to get a job after graduation. See page 24 of this newsletter for more information.
Will there be any changes to the courses being offered by each institute?
You will still have access to many and varied courses at different levels in the new TU. We will continue to offer the courses we always have. We are constantly introducing and improving our course offerings, based on what employers tell us they are looking for in graduates. Due to our close links with industry and our flexible approach to learning we can develop and introduce new courses quickly to meet the skills demands of the region and beyond. You will have more choice in the new TU due to the increased range of courses available. We are also developing and introducing new post-graduate courses and research opportunities for students in the new TU.
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Communicating with our Stakeholders The CUA Communications Subgroup was established in September 2018 with a primary objective of developing a Communications Strategy for the TU Project. Approved by the CUA Steering Group in May 2020, the strategy is the subgroup’s roadmap in their efforts to ensure staff, students and all stakeholders are informed in a timely manner of significant CUA developments and achievements as the three institutes transition to a TU.
Regina Daly, Chair of the CUA Communications Subgroup
The subgroup is comprised of the CUA Executive Project Lead, Dr Seán Duffy, three communications leads Aidan Haughey (IT Sligo), Samantha Lynch (Letterkenny IT) and Regina Daly (GMIT), together with marketing leads from the three institutes, the three CUA Project Managers, IT and academic staff and union representatives. Recently, the committee was reconfigured and renamed CUA Communications and Marketing Subgroup.
Strategic communications are key to success in any organisation particularly at a time of major change. Keeping our students and staff regularly updated during the change management process helps build and maintain trust, openness, and transparency. The same principle applies regarding our external stakeholders and we are lucky in the west and north-west to have a great number of long-established traditional media organisations helping us get our message out to them and the public in their newspapers, radio and tv programmes, internet news sites and digital channels. and broadcast media for almost a decade prior to joining GMIT. She holds an MA in Journalism and a postgraduate Higher Diploma in Applied Communications Journalism & Public Relations from NUI Galway. The subgroup has completed the following to date:
• CUA Communications Strategy • Interim website • CUA internal and external newsletters • CUA Press Releases, video scripts and social media posts • Communicating to students and staff
Regina Daly, GMIT Communications and Press Officer, was appointed Chair of the subgroup in December 2019. A member of the European Association of Communication Directors (EACD) since 2013, Regina worked as a journalist for national and local print A NEWSLETTER FOR EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS
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Reaching out to our Future Students Marketing and School Engagement Activities It’s that time of year again. Students are considering their third-level course choices for 2022 and staff in the marketing, student engagement and school liaison offices across the three institutes are here to help. They are busy organising open days, school talks, and answering any queries about the various courses on offer in their respective campuses. One of the key messages for students this year, is that anyone applying to a Level 7 or Level 8 course on any of the TU’s eight campuses will graduate with a TU degree.
Are the CAO course codes changing? There will be no change to the CAO course codes for this year. Applicants should use the course codes listed in the CAO handbook and website for each institute and campus. For more information on the CAO application process go to: www.cao.ie
Key dates for applications to the CAO for 2022/23 January 20th Closing date for CAO early-bird online applications February 1st Closing date for normal applications, including mature students February 4th Online facility to change course choices opens May 1st Closing date for late CAO applications May 5th CAO change-of-mind facility opens July 1st Final date for changes to course choices
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Interview with Fiona Kelly, Marketing Manager, LYIT
The new technological university (TU) is all about strength in unity, being ‘better together’ and giving choices to the learner. The TU will provide much greater choice for learners across the region – that’s what excites me!
Fiona has worked in Higher Education for over 15 years. Prior to her new role as Marketing Manager at LYIT, she worked as the Schools Engagement and RPL Officer. She has been a member of the CUA Communications and Marketing Subgroup since 2018 and brings a wealth of experience to the new TU from her daily interactions with full-time, part-time, postgraduate and online students. What does your typical working day look like? This would depend on the time of year. Between August and September, my role focuses on supporting incoming Leaving Certificate, Further Education and Mature students returning to campus. I also start liaising with Guidance Counsellors in schools to book school visits, and I coordinate the on-campus and online events. My role is busy throughout the year, and I am always available to support teachers, parents, and prospective students at any time by phone, email or video chat. Were you involved in the submission for designation as a new TU? Yes, in 2018, I was nominated by the LYIT President, Paul Hannigan, to represent LYIT on the CUA Communications and Marketing subgroup. I have worked with CUA colleagues on events and projects such as the Higher Options Open day, the Higher Education 4.0 RPL Project, and in supporting the development of the branding tender for the new TU. What are you looking forward to most about working in a new TU? It’s an exciting time to be involved in the new TU and I look forward to being part of this period of transformative change. I am a parent to a 17-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter; the future in the west and north-west is very bright for young people. I see this as a parent and as a Marketing Manager. The TU provides more choice for young people and will also attract new talent and more people to our region. How will our future students benefit from being part of a new TU? There is so much potential, it is difficult to list them all! Future students will have a wider pathway of advancement from undergraduate level to postgraduate level. They will have increased networking opportunities, more access to research opportunities, and increased employment opportunities. The benefits are limitless! A NEWSLETTER FOR EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS
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Meet Cleo Devaney, Marketing and Student Recruitment Manager, IT Sligo It’s an exciting time to work in Marketing and Student recruitment as we transition into the new technological university (TU). For the marketing side, it presents challenges but also great opportunities. Each of our institutes will be working collaboratively on the new brand and positioning ensuring it is reflective of our own unique offering and resonates with our student population. There is a wealth of positive sentiment towards the introduction of a TU in our region, from industry, guidance counsellors, parents and educators. With Sligo becoming a university town, this will help attract and retain talent and encourage future generations to invest and remain in the north-west region. With a strong background in digital marketing, I joined the IT Sligo Marketing department initially focusing on marketing the suite of Online Learning programmes. This included the development and rollout of a new brand and nationwide marketing campaigns to help raise the profile of IT Sligo Online Learning in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Since then, I have progressed to the role of Marketing and Student recruitment manager, working with a team of 6 dedicated marketing professionals, who can turn their hand to anything! We work across graphic design, publications, social media marketing, events management, school engagement and much more. We focus on building and maintaining relationships both internally and externally with key stakeholders, such as guidance counsellors, parents and post-primary educators. We also stay connected with industry partners to ensure our course offering meets the skills demand in our region. From academic programme videos and virtual school visits to live virtual open day events, our reach has now expanded, as evidenced by a 32% increase in CAO applicants in 2021. We also work closely with our current students and have a dedicated student ambassador programme, encouraging students to be advocates of the IT Sligo educational experience. This year, we are offering our ambassadors the opportunity to earn a digital badge, in recognition of their contribution to marketing and student recruitment.
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Meet Karen Smyth, Marketing Officer, GMIT The new technological university (TU) will offer huge choice to students in terms of courses, campuses, and professional and progression opportunities. We want students to feel part of the new TU from day one, and I am looking forward to working with my colleagues in LYIT and IT Sligo to create a meaningful brand that will capture the hearts and minds of our students and stakeholders in the region and beyond. The GMIT Marketing function covers the marketing of five very individual campuses, so no two days are the same. Over the last few years, our marketing activity has become more concentrated on digital activity as we focus on reaching prospective students, parents, teachers, and stakeholders on our social media platforms and online. When we started, we had one social media platform with 1.5K followers. Now we work across six platforms, with over 70K followers. What I have learned in my 13 year career in GMIT is that marketing is not just about delivering a message, it is about embracing very diverse ideas, comments, and views, and bringing people together. The development of the digital platforms has enabled us to develop precise messaging tailored to our various audiences. It has also impacted the culture within GMIT as we engage with our peers online, and more staff become part of our online marketing community. We were thrilled to learn that GMIT has been awarded The Sunday Times Institute of Technology of the Year 2022 award. It is an achievement the entire institute can be immensely proud of after such a challenging couple of years with Covid. From a marketing perspective, we are heading into 2022 with plans to become a new technological university, while celebrating our win as Institute of Technology of the Year 2022 and GMIT’s Golden Jubilee. This will give us lots of opportunities to connect with our students and graduates throughout the year and reach new audiences nationally and internationally. As a marketeer, it doesn’t get much more exciting than that.
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CUA at the Irish Times Higher Options Virtual Open Day This year the Higher Options Open Day took place virtuality. The annual event brings together representatives from all higher education institutions in Ireland, the UK and the European Union. It gives students the opportunity to explore their further education options. There were approximately 4,200 virtual attendees this year. Our three institutes had their virtual stands located under our common CUA banner. The institutes provided extensive video content, which ensured visitors to the stands could experience all of our campuses, the student supports in place, get a taste of our portfolio of
programmes and excellent facilities. Staff were available live to answer student’s queries. Cleo Devaney, Marketing and Student Recruitment Officer at IT Sligo says of the event: “Our team worked collaboratively with
our counterparts in GMIT and LYIT to ensure that we presented our stands as part of the CUA, with each institute placing the CUA banner at the front of their stands. An alert also went out to all attendees at the Conference to inform them of our forthcoming TU.”
This was the 2nd year the event was held virtually and while we are all getting used to this type of event, we are definitely missing the buzz of a live event and seeing the faces of all the teachers and students visiting our stands. The GMIT virtual stand was designed to reflect our new exciting GMIT prospectus and along with our counterparts in IT Sligo and LYIT we all incorporated the CUA banner at the front of their stands. Lorraine Cunningham, School Liaison Officer, GMIT Come and See Us - CUA Open Days/ Evenings for 2022 GMIT - For more information go to openday.gmit.ie Thursday, 20th January, 6-8pm
Information Evening for Further Education, PLC, Mature, Graduate and Professional Development Students
Saturday, 12th March, 10am-1pm
Five Campus Open Day
Wednesday - Thursday, 11th - 12th May
Transition Year Taster Days
LYIT - For more information go to openday.lyit.ie Wednesday, 19th January
Open Evening
Thursday, 5th May
Open Evening
Wednesday, 17th August
Information Day
IT Sligo - For more information go to www.itsligo.ie Tuesday, 18th January
Make your Choice (Virtual)
Saturday, 7th May
Be a Student for a Day (On Campus)
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Students Supporting Students: The New TU’s Students’ Union The three Students’ Unions (SU) from GMIT, IT Sligo and LYIT have been working together for the last three years towards the establishment of a new TU SU. A CUA Students’ Union Subgroup was established in November 2018 and held its first meeting in December 2018. The subgroup is comprised of the CUA SU Presidents and SU Officers. The SU Managers/ Administrators were invited to join the group, in August 2020, to provide continuity as the SU officers change on an annual basis. The subgroup has engaged in a range of collaborative projects which support student engagement, welfare, and academic activities across the CUA and will serve as a strong foundation for the new TU Students’ Union.
Review of Students' Union Structures and Finance
Identifying Potential Collaborative Projects
Students’ Union Subgroup
Drafting a new Technology University Students' Union Constitution
Development and Delivery of a Cross Campus Mental Health Awareness Campaign
New SU Constitution Update The three Students’ Unions met in Letterkenny on the 5th of September 2021 with external consultant, Mike Day and worked on the new constitution. They also discussed election policies and staffing structures for the new TU SU. The group are now busy finalising the democratic structure of the new SU, developing a staffing structure, and negotiating a funding model with the parent institutes. They are also working on a new structure for class representative councils and officers.
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Meet our Students’ Unions
GMIT SU Team, pictured left to right, Ricorda Bolle, Deputy President for Education, Emily Walsh, VP Welfare, Emily McGrory, VP Mayo Campus, and Colin Kearney, President.
LYIT SU Team, pictured left to right, Edward Grant, Welfare and Equality Officer, Adam O Flaherty, President and Eanna McDermott, Education and Communications Officer. 14
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IT Sligo SU Team, pictured left to right, Saskia Dooley, Welfare Officer, Dáire Martin, President, Keelan Kennoy, Education Officer.
Mesage from the Students’ Unions’ Presidents Are you wondering how being part of a new TU will affect you? For a start you’ll no longer be graduating from LYIT, IT Sligo or GMIT and you’ll be getting a university degree. The democratic structure that represents you will change. You’ll no longer have three to four fulltime student union officers representing you. You’ll have eleven. The changes we’re proposing will give all students equal representation across the new TU campuses. The vision of the new TU SU is to ensure that every student has a voice, and your voice will be listened to and acted upon. The mission of the future SU is to encourage students to contribute to the community of their new TU and to facilitate belonging and engagement, be that in the democratic process or something small like providing you with clubs and societies that you can join. We want to act in an open and transparent way to be responsive to your needs and we welcome your thoughts on how we can best support you.
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Meet our Students’ Unions’ Presidents Dáire Martin, President, IT Sligo Students’ Union I’m thrilled to be a part of the Students’ Union (SU) at such an important and exciting time. With TU designation just around the corner, myself, and everyone else will be working around the clock to ensure the future TU SU is one that we can be proud of. A lot of great work has been done, but a lot still lies ahead of us. I’m looking forward to continuing to strive towards this. Adam O Flaherty, President, LYIT’s Students’ Union We are excited for the merger and all the additional opportunities that it will bring for our students and for the region. It means that each of our institutes’ students will come out the other side of their academic journey with a university recognised degree which in turn will give them ample career opportunities. Colin Kearney, President, GMIT’s Students’ Union The new TU SU will give a better overall representation to students from the smallest campus of the new TU to the largest. The TU SU will cover all ground between each campus, all 260Km of road between the furthest points.
TU Students’ Union
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Staff Supporting Students: CUA Student Services Helping students to achieve success and attain a quality educational experience guides our approach to the range of student services and supports we provide. The CUA is committed to working collaboratively with students, staff, and other stakeholders to provide the best possible student experience, regardless of location or delivery mode. We support our students’ journey from pre-registration to post-graduation through the provision of efficient, effective, and equitable services with our students at the core of everything we do.
CUA Student Services Subgroup The CUA Student Services Subgroup was established in March 2019. The subgroup is comprised of the CUA Admissions and Student Affairs Managers and Student Services staff. The members of the subgroup have engaged in a range of collaborative projects which support student services activities across the CUA and will serve as a strong foundation for student services in the TU.
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The CUA’s New Student Services Framework Since September of this year over one hundred Student Services staff and Students’ Union representatives across the eight campuses have been invited to participate in online workshops to develop a Student Services Strategy for the new TU. The workshops are exploring many themes including managing change, transition readiness, guiding principles, team building and sharing expertise. On completion of the workshops, the Student Services Managers from each of the three institutes and the CUA RPL and Career Services Manager will lead a consultative and collaborative process with individual services and the Students’ Union to develop a student services framework for the services listed in the graph below.
CUA TU Student Services Framework
Careers and Employabilty
Counselling and Chaplaincy
Health and Wellbeing
Access and Academic Support
CUA Student Services
Sports
Students’ Union, Clubs and Societies
Supporting CUA Student Population of
22,650+
The framework will: • Provide a high quality, well-rounded higher learning experience • Improve access to higher education regardless of ability and or background • Improve retention and progress, with higher completion and graduation rates • Enhance employment, work-based learning opportunities and lifelong learning interests • Encourage active citizenship This new student services framework will guide the future provision of services in the TU and build on the student service communalities and collaborations already in existence.
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Voluntary and Community Engagement Activities
Online Careers Modules
Health and Wellbeing Online Courses
New Student Welcome Programmes
Student Employabilty Module Chaplaincy
In-person and Online Counselling
Careers Fairs
Clubs and Societies
Access and Disabilities Supports
Students’ Union Attract, Transition and Succeed (ACT)
Supporting Our Students
#Unmute Consent Campaign
Maths Learning Centres
Healthy Campus CUA Virtual Staff and Student Choir Sports Scholarships Student Bursaries and Financial Assistance
Green Campus DARE / HEAR Schemes
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Student Peer Mentoring Programmes
Academic Writing Centres
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What is Student Life really like? Our students talk about CUA student supports, clubs and societies, and sports facilities I became the class rep in first year and I’m also the head rep of all the electronic engineers in the college. I was a Pass Leader which helps first years when they start in college. I was also a Smart Consent Leader, which is basically teaching students the rights and wrongs and what no means and what yes means. GMIT are great with funding for disadvantaged students and mature students. They have programs in place where they give you funding. I’m just after getting a laptop from them to work from home. Ricky Small, GMIT, Software and Electronic Engineering
I loved my time in IT Sligo. The clubs and societies were amazing. IT Sligo created an environment full of sporting activities that allowed me to express myself. I made so many lovely friends through swimming, basketball, tag rugby, badminton, athletics and spinning. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Avail of the medical services, career services and student supports. I am going to write this in big capital letters, and it is – AVAIL OF THE COUNSELLING SERVICES. The supports are there so use them!. Aoife Gannon, IT Sligo, BBs in Applied Sport with Business
It was exciting and daunting to be back studying as a mature student. The small class sizes provide a personal learning environment, where it was easy to ask questions and participate in class discussions, making it fun. The supports for students are incredible. The Curve, which is a learning centre within the college, provided me with extra support for maths with additional tutorials whenever I needed it. They provided great encouragement for all of us, and they went above and beyond to help us with employment opportunities. Ronan McNamee (pictured right), LYIT, Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering
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What is Student Life really like? (contd.) The gym in IT Sligo is a fantastic place to train. There is a wide range of equipment and the atmosphere inside is very motivating. As a chess player, it is important to keep physically fit and active to use the mind to the best of its capabilities. Chess games can last up to five hours, for the mind not to fatigue early, the body must be physically fit. The sports scholarship has eased my financial stress with regards to paying for my coaching. It has also lit a fire of determination within me. The scholarship reassures me that IT Sligo is supporting me. Now, more than ever, I am determined to push myself and progress towards my goal of making the Olympia chess team once again. Eibhia Ní Mhuireagáin, IT Sligo, BBs (Hons) in Marketing
From day one, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in GMIT. As a wheelchair user, GMIT was extremely accessible which helped me settle in quite quickly. The Access Office were excellent in accommodating my needs and putting in place a brilliant Education Support Worker to help me. Gerry Burns, GMIT, Degree (Hons) in Bachelor of Arts in Information Systems Management
I loved campus life. I played for the LYIT ladies GAA team and was delighted to receive a scholarship in Year 4 of my studies. There were lots to get involved in. I love athletics and have represented Ireland internationally. The scholarship helped to fund my sporting trips which was fantastic. I loved every minute at LYIT and made so many friends that I’m still in touch with. The nightlife was amazing, we had many fun times. Being originally from Donegal, I enjoyed being so close to home. Lisa Shiels, LYIT, BA Business in Sports Development and Coaching
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Meet Our Student Services and Affairs Managers Debbie Molloy, Student Services Manager, GMIT Student Services colleagues across the CUA have achieved many successes through effective collaboration over the past number of years. Being designated as a TU during a time of increased challenges and massive disruption to the academic year due to the pandemic is quite the achievement. I am looking forward to continuing to work with colleagues to provide students with services that are inclusive, integrated, innovative and impactful. Debbie has collaborated on the development of a CUA Student Services Framework. She also took an active role in securing funding for Consent Initiatives for the West and North- West Cluster in 2019. She represents GMIT on a CUA working group for the development of a common policy for preventing and responding to sexual violence and harassment and regularly collaborates with CUA partners to implement common initiatives relevant to student services. Debbie is currently Chair of a working group on gender identity and gender expression, and Co-Chair of the working group for preventing and responding to sexual misconduct and harassment in GMIT. She is an active contributor to the institute’s Management group, Academic Council and the THEA Academic Administration and Student Affairs Managers group.
Rory McMorrow, Student Services Manager, LYIT The range of experience and expertise in Student Services across the TU will provide us with the opportunity, through the sharing of knowledge and best practice, to overcome barriers that we may have faced individually, which should ultimately result in an improved student experience. Rory has contributed to the development of the CUA Student Services Framework. He also represents LYIT on the CUA working group for the development of a common policy for preventing and responding to sexual violence and harassment. Rory is a member of the LYIT’s working group on promoting consent and preventing sexual violence. He also represents LYIT on the THEA Academic Administration and Student Affairs Managers group, the National RPL Project and the Attract, Transition, Succeed (ATS) committee of the west and north-west cluster. 22
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Meet Our Student Services and Affairs Managers (contd.) Gerry Hegarty, Student Affairs Manager, IT Sligo I think that designation as a TU is a fantastic opportunity to build on our existing excellent student services and to contribute to a best-in-class student experience across all campuses.
Gerry has collaborated on developing a CUA Student Services Framework and a CUA Student Success Strategy. He is also participating in a review of Student Counselling Services across the CUA with a view to establishing the existing scope of provision across all campuses and to make recommendations for the development of the services from both a structure and service provision perspective. He brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the new TU having been involved in several transformational change programmes throughout his career, including implementation of new technology, design and implementation of improved processes, rationalisation of services whilst improving service to customers and introduction of new services.
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Issue 3
Preparing our Students for Employment A collaborative team of career professionals and academics from all three institutes and industry representatives have designed an Employability Statement to ensure that our students are adequately prepared for the world of work. The model that underpins the CUA Employability Statement is the CareerEDGE model, developed by Darce, Pool and Sewell (2007)1 from the University of Central Lancashire. They believe that students in possession of heightened selfconfidence, self-efficacy and self-esteem are more likely to actively engage in the student experience through involvement in clubs, societies and sports, to volunteer, to adopt active and independent learning strategies, to be confident in career and life decision making and to develop skills and attributes that employers seek. The infographic on the opposite page illustrates the employability elements that make up the broad student experience. It displays examples of opportunities provided to students to develop their employability through their programme and other activities driven by the lecturers and by students themselves. Our belief is that this broad approach is key to the development of transferrable skills which are effective in study, the workplace and life in general.
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1 Dacre Pool, L., & Sewell, P. (2007). The key to employability: developing a practical model of graduate employability. Education and Training, 49(4), 227-289
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Career Development Learning Employer Engagement Virtual/Campus Careers Fairs Career Webinars Company Presentations Mock/ Video Interviews Online CV Clinics
Experience
Degree Subject Knowledge
Generic Skills
Emotional Intelligence
Work Experience
Curriculum
Presentation Skills
Self-Perception
Work Placement/ Internships
High Quality Programmes
Writen & Oral Communication
Lecturer Feedback
Professional Practice
Applied Programmes
Research
Interpersonal
Volunteering
Choice of Modules
Digital Skills
Group Projects
Part time work
Technology Modules
Entrepreneurship
Industry Led Curriculum
Student ambassador
Language Studies
Employers
Teaching and Learning Strategies, including;
Assessment Centres Networking Employer Relationship Mgmt System
Work based projects
Employability Module
Mentors
Transitioning to a Diverse Workplace Online Psychometric Assessment Career Planning Self-Awareness Employability Toolkit Labour Market Intelligence
Programme Planning and Advice
Guest Speakers
International Erasmus & Cultural Exchanges
Engagement Student Union Meetings Board Meetings Clubs & Societies PASS leadership
Research, Portfolios, eTivities, Role Play, Projects, Blogs, Networking, Showcases, Practicals, Mentoring, Reflective Practice, Case Studies, Problem Based Learning.
Learning Environment Face to Face, Online and Blended
Start Up Initiatives
Study Option Advice
Civic Engagement
Networking with Employers
Critical Thinking
Peer Mentoring
Organisational
Self Expression
Time Management
Confidence and Assertiveness
Work Etiquette Working Under Pressure Planning
Teamwork
Development Cultural & Diversity Awareness
Group Work
Stress Management
Teaching Others
Healthy Living
Collaboration
Adhering to College Deadlines
Leadership
Resilience
Creativity Innovation Brainstorming
Conferences & Events
Class Presentations
Negotiating
Entrepreneurship
External Engagement
Progression Planning
Problem Solving
Change Orientation
Understanding Your Own and Others Needs
Decision Making Problem Solving Analysing Information
Advertising jobs and work experience opportunities
Reflection A broad experience founded on student-staff interaction and variety of opportunity.
Self Efficacy | Self Esteem | Self Confidence
Employability
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Issue 3
Creating a Diverse and Inclusive TU CUA collaboration on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) has intensified this year. The three institutes are currently working on building in principles of equality, diversity and inclusion into all stages of organisational design and development of the new TU.
Athena SWAN Bronze Award In October 2020, the three institutes came together and developed an agreed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Principles and Values Framework. This framework informed the development of EDI Policies within the three institutes. Progress on gender equality has been scaffolded by the Athena SWAN Charter and the requisite institutional self-assessment required for Bronze award applications. To promote collaboration and share learning, colleagues from the partner institutes attended each other’s SelfAssessment Team meetings and had regular progress updates and informationsharing meetings in advance of the submission date.
C A IR T IN
SC
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Under the watchful eyes of the Owl of Athena, Dr Brendan McCormack (back left), President IT Sligo and the Self-Assessment Team celebrate their Athena Swan Bronze Award
The EDI function has an important role as an agent of culture change in the development of the new TU, to ease the transition into the new entity and ensure that an inclusive ethos based on equality is reflected in the organisational and governance structure, policy, and wider cultural initiatives.
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Merging Gender Action Plans All three institutes submitted Institutional Bronze Award applications in November 2020 and were delighted to achieve Bronze Awards in March 2021. The virtual awards ceremony was held in October 2021. The CUA partners have engaged with Athena SWAN Ireland to prepare a submission for a legacy award post TU designation. This process will include the merging of three Gender Action Plans into one cohesive plan for the TU, a process that will be made easier by the high degree of alignment of the three institute plans. This new action plan will set the gender equality priorities of the new TU for its first three years.
Paul Hannigan (front left), President of LYIT, together with members of Executive Board and the Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Team with the Institute’s Bronze Athena SWAN award.
Increasing EDI awareness across all campuses The three institutes have also worked together over the last two years offering training to staff across the eight campuses. Training sessions delivered to staff include, Transgender Awareness, Unconscious Bias and specific training for recruiting managers in this area. Each institute is also working with local Rape Crisis Centres to provide training on consent and receiving disclosures, with unfilled spaces on each other’s courses being made available to partners. In addition to gender equality other priorities for the coming year include issues relating to disability, race equality and sexual orientation. It is planned to offer training to staff on race equality, facilitating discussions on language and terminology on race, increasing awareness of the history and context of racism in Ireland and an understanding of white privilege. A NEWSLETTER FOR EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS
All three TU partners achieving the Athena SWAN Bronze Award sends out a strong message that equality will be at the heart of our new TU. We now need to consolidate our action plans into one and get on with implementing it. There is plenty to be done. Tom Reilly, EDI Manager, IT Sligo 27
Issue 3
Exciting new EDI Initiatives in 2021
IT Sligo have been providing free period products since September 2021. The practical arrangements around this exciting new initiative have been shared with EDI leads across the CUA with the aim of working together to roll this initiative out across the alliance. GMIT launched its period poverty/period stigma campaign in October 2021.
GMIT launched an LGBTQ + & Allies Staff Network in June 2021. CUA colleagues were invited and attended this launch. The learning from the establishment of this group is being shared with partners and will inform the development of such networks in the other campuses.
LYIT organised an online EDI talk for all CUA colleagues with Bashir Otukoya to celebrate Black History Month in October 2021. Bashir is a former LYIT Student, and currently an Assistant Professor of European Union Law at Dublin City University. He has written extensively on Irish identity and its intersectionality with citizenship, nationality, Irishness, race and social justice.
All three institutes recently launched the Speak Out iniative, an online and anonymous reporting platform for incidents of bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, discrimination, hate crime, coercive behaviour/control, stalking, assault, sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape.
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Dr Orla Flynn (front right), President of GMIT, pictured with members of the GMIT Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Team.
We are working closely with our CUA partners on various initiatives such as merging our Athena SWAN Gender Action Plans, Consent and developing new equality-related policies to ensure that values of equality are firmly embedded in the new TU. Mary Nestor, EDI Officer, GMIT
We are proud that LYIT and our CUA partners, have each achieved the Athena Swan Bronze Award. As we travel on this journey together to become a TU, we as CUA partners are committed to creating a culture, in which staff and students work in partnership, to create and maintain an inclusive learning and working environment. Helen McGrandles, HR Manager, LYIT A NEWSLETTER FOR EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS
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Issue 3
Making our Campuses Safer: #UnmuteConsent Campaign Sexual violence and harassment is a problem on higher education campuses and is under-reported. All higher education institutions are currently implementing a wide range of measures within the National Consent Framework. To help drive awareness and encourage conversations on consent, the #UnmuteConsent campaign was launched in September across all Higher Education Institutions including the three institutes in the CUA. The campaign seeks to mobilise the student community to make a difference, by speaking out, by enhancing their own knowledge about consent, and ultimately, by challenging and changing behaviours. The campaign was informed by findings from the Union of Students in Ireland and the Active* Consent Sexual Experiences Survey (2020). This research is alongside significant work by the HEA, HEIs, Union of Students in Ireland and other specialist bodies to research this area further and to inform students on consent.
A Policy on Sexual Violence and Harassment for the TU A CUA working group has been established with three representatives from each institute to develop a policy and procedure on sexual violence and harassment, for the new TU. The group have developed a draft policy, after seeking input from each of the institutes. Responses are being collated with a view to reviewing and incorporating feedback. The expectation is that an agreed policy and procedure will be in place at the time of designation. For more information on the #Unmuteconsent campaign go to www.unmuteconsent.ie
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Graduations 2021
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“Atlantic” conveys power, strength, inspiration, creation and vast horizons. The name Atlantic Technological University reflects the deep connections in the west and north-west region and the ability and ambition to impact at a national and international scale.
Working together towards a technological university
