DkIT team selected for AdvanceHE's Educational Transformation Change Academy
A cross-disciplinary team from Dundalk Institute of Technology has been selected to participate in AdvanceHE's Educational Transformation Change Academy, a prestigious six-month programme supporting institutional teams to lead systemic change in higher education.
The team comprises Dr Ronan Bree, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT); Catherine McCloskey, School of Engineering; Anthony Murray, Head of Careers and Employability; and Peter Morris, School of Informatics and Creative Arts - all also members of the DkIT President's AI Advisory Group. Their project, Leading Responsible AI Integration: An Institutional Futures Framework, will focus on exploring approaches to embed artificial intelligence across curriculum design, teaching strategies and student support systems, with a strong focus on developing AI-ready graduates prepared for the evolving workplace.
The AdvanceHE Change Academy brings together higher education leaders from institutions worldwide to collaborate on redesigning curriculums to meet workforce needs, reimagining inclusive and digitally-enhanced approaches, and strengthening student belonging and wellbeing. Teams work through structured workshops, challenge labs, and peer learning before showcasing outcomes at a summative event.
The team's initiative aims to address a critical challenge facing the sector: while AI is already shaping how students learn and how staff teach, there is a lack of coherent frameworks for AI integration. This project will look at how to build AI skills into programmes, how teaching can use AI while protecting academic integrity, and how to support students as active partners in adapting to these changes.
Dr Ronan Bree of DkIT's CELT said:
"This is such a great opportunity for us as a team, and as an institution, to collaborate with leaders across the AdvanceHE network. We're stronger together, and through this programme we'll have the chance to learn from peers facing similar challenges while developing AI approaches that can benefit DkIT and support our staff and student community - as well as the wider sector. We're very excited about what this year will bring."
