DkIT's learning and teaching excellence model inspires Portuguese education leaders
Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) recently welcomed the National Council for Pedagogical Innovation in Higher Education in Portugal (CNIPES) to our campus. The Portuguese Ministry of Education, Science, and Innovation, being advised by Dr. Terry Maguire (former Director of Ireland’s National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education), has established CNIPES based on the Irish Forum’s model.
About CNIPES
CNIPES is dedicated to fostering innovation and enhancing pedagogy in higher education. It will advise the Portuguese government on new educational approaches and structures, while promoting cross-institutional collaboration and unified standards to advance teaching excellence. The Council is made up of representatives from some institutions in Portugal (Public and Private, including Technical Colleges).
Welcoming CNIPES to campus
Along with Dr. Maguire, members of CNIPES’ working group focusing on professional development and the organisation and sustainability of Portuguese centres for excellence, visited to learn more about both the Irish National approach to professional development and the approach of individual institutions. Specifically, the group (primarily Presidents/Vice-Presidents, and student body representatives from a number of Institutions across Portugal) visited DkIT to learn more about how our Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) operates, and how national teaching excellence initiatives support institutions, professional development of staff, and enhance student success. The visit recognises DkIT's Centre for Excellence as a benchmark for effective professional development in higher education - validation that our student-centred approach delivers measurable impact.
Hosted by CELT’s Dr. Ronan Bree, the visiting group were welcomed by Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Registrar Dr. Sheila Flanagan who formally opened the event, before contextualising DkIT, our mission, and an overview of our many successes in terms of supporting the region, our staff, and our inspiring students.
The visit featured two key sessions. First, Dr. Gerry Gallagher (Head of Learning and Teaching) provided an overview of CELT, its structure, reach, impact, student supports and professional development opportunities – such as the MA in Learning and Teaching (MALT) offered by the Centre. This was followed by Dr. Karen Dunne, Lecturer in Veterinary Nursing and MALT Tutor, who outlined her impactful professional development journey in pedagogical innovation.
The second session was led by Dr. Bree, where he outlined the positive impact of the N-TUTORR project on DkIT and the Technological Higher Education Sector, in addition to providing an overview of his secondment to the National Forum, while outlining the latter’s initiatives which support institutions, staff and students in a meaningful way.
Dr. Bree highlighted how DkIT’s staff and students have been significant beneficiaries of National Forum initiatives, which focus on bringing people together and shining a light on how we can promote, innovate, and value learning and teaching enhancement. DkIT proudly celebrates several Forum DELTA awards, testament to the team ethos of our community.
This visit’s impact was clear in the feedback. Politécnico do Porto’s Vice-President Prof. António Marques noted
“The meeting proved to be extremely productive and highly relevant to the work we (CNIPES) are currently undertaking...” and that the group wanted to “...reaffirm our full availability to continue cooperating and to further strengthen the synergies that emerged” from the discussions."
