The CUA TU Journey

In advance of the passing of the Technological Universities Act in 2018, the CUA built up its alliance via engagement in collaborative projects, sharing of knowledge, the formation of a strong project management structure and a work plan during the period 2012 – 2018. The agreement and subsequent passing of the TU Act in 2018 was the trigger for intensive CUA TU related activity from mid-2018 onwards. One notable example is the successful CUA collaborative project iNOTE developing digital capability which received funding of €2.84m from the HEA Innovation and Transformation Fund. The initial outcomes of this project (which runs to 2022) ensured the CUA was prepared to provide timely supports for staff and students in relation to emergency remote teaching following the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic. The partnerships and working relationships developed via the iNOTE project also served to support the CUA’s application under the Human Capital Initiative (HCI) Fund. In October 2020, the CUA won €12.4m for its Higher Education 4.0 project to further develop the agility and flexibility to deliver increased access to higher education.

CUA Timeline

The Presidents of GMIT, LYIT and IT Sligo and the three Governing Body Chairs sign a Memorandum of Understanding to form the Connacht-Ulster Alliance (CUA). The CUA was o cially launched by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

May 2013

The CUA Steering Committee adopts a TU Implementation plan.

February 2014

Appointed CUA Project Manager and CUA Data Analyst.

March 2015

CUA is granted approval by the Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan T.D., to proceed to the next stage of the process of building a Technological University for the West and North-West of Ireland.

December 2015

€0.757M funding awarded by the HEA.

July 2012

Green Light for Technological Universities. The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn, issued a policy statement setting out a new configuration for the Irish higher education system. He announced his approval for three groups of institutes of technology to proceed towards detailed planning for a formal application for designation as technological universities.

February 2014

CUA launches a new online research repository, with extensive research material from sta and students, called ‘CUAL’, (Connacht-Ulster Alliance Libraries), developed by the libraries in GMIT, IT Sligo, and Letterkenny IT.

April 2014

Submission of CUA Expression of Interest for Re-designation as a TU to the Higher Education Authority.

October 2015

Thematic Working Groups formed: (i) Governance (WG1), (ii) Research and Innovation (WG2), (iii) Learning and teaching (WG3), and (iv) External Engagement (WG4).

June 2016

CUA Timeline (continued)

CUA appoints a new Project Manager.

November 2017

Steering Group Terms of Reference agreed. Terms of Reference and Operational Guidelines agreed for Working Groups.

March 2018

Steering Committee appoints three institute based CUA Project Managers.

January 2019

Data Sharing Agreement document developed to comply with GDPR legislation.

March 2020

Establishment of the CUA PMSS Industrial Relations Forum.

September 2020 March 2017

Higher Education Landscape Funding Allocation of €1.2m to support the work of CUA.

February 2018

The Technological Universities Act 2018 is signed into law.

May 2018

CUA collaborative project ‘iNOTE’ developing digital capability receives funding of €2.84m from HEA Innovation and Transformation Funding.

March 2019

CUA Executive Project Lead appointed. Due Diligence process commenced.

April 2020

Inaugural Joint Governing Body sub-committee meeting.

CUA awarded €12.4m for its Higher Education 4.0 project to further develop the agility and flexibility to deliver increased access to higher education.

October 2020

Completion of Corporate Services Due Diligence and Legal Due Diligence Reviews.

March 2021

Agreement reached between CUA and TUI on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) incorporating 12 Position Papers.

May 2021

Submission of application to the Minister for Further & Higher Education, Simon Harris TD, for designation as a Technological University (TU).

May 2021

CUA and PMSS Unions agree Letter of Understanding.

June 2021

International evaluation panel visit.

January 2022 October 2020

CUA awarded funding of €5.7m to the CUA under the HEA’s Technological University Transformation Fund (TUTF).

October 2020

Each of the three CUA Institutes received the Athena SWAN Bronze award.

April 2021

CUA TUI MoU endorsed by TUI members voting via an online ballot.

May 2021

CUA engages branding consultants McCann Dublin to support the TU Naming and Branding process.

June 2021

CUA holds a mock panel evaluation in preparation for the TU international evaluation panel.

July 2021

Potential designation date.

Photo caption: The CUA Alliance submits its application to the Minister for Further & Higher Education, Simon Harris TD, for designation as a Technological University (TU).

What will the new TU be called?

Developing a new brand is a complex process that requires consultation with internal and external stakeholders. Our TU brand will aim to best represent what our stakeholders including students, staff, graduates, employers, and funders expect of our new university. The CUA started an internal consultation process focusing on developing a name for the TU in April 2019. CUA staff and students were invited to respond to an online survey. In June 2019, the findings of the survey were presented to the CUA Steering Group. The total number of responses received were 2,662. 1,895 of these were from our students. A range of potential names emerged. While the survey represented very positive engagement with staff and students, the responses were limited to internal stakeholders. We decided to seek input from our external stakeholders such as potential students, schools, guidance counsellors, public bodies, government agencies, industry partners, community, alumni, and professional bodies. In April 2021, following a tender process, an external company McCann Dublin, was chosen to assist with the selection of a name and the creation of a brand platform for the new TU. The CUA along with McCann are currently engaging with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders as part of the TU naming and branding project. We hope to finalise our title and brand in Quarter 4 of 2021.