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€0.5M will be split between DkIT and Athlone Institute of Technology as part of a joint submission to facilitate reforms in the higher education landscape. The project focuses on increasing postgraduate research capacity and improving staff qualifications. For DkIT, this will also facilitate a regional landscape restructuring approach, including improving skills ladder progression pathways in the North Leinster-South Ulster region in a cross-border axis with HEIs and FET colleges such as Queens University Belfast, Belfast Metropolitan College and South Regional College.

Speaking today, Minister of State Mitchell O’Connor said,

“Capacity building of both research capacity and staff qualifications will enable both institutions to advance regional collaborative approaches. The emphasis here is to increase the number of staff with cutting-edge technical and research based skills and on institutional research linking back into teaching excellence and the formation of more work-ready graduates with the skills required regionally and nationally in strategic industries”.

Speaking about the announcement, DkIT President Michael Mulvey, PhD said,

“We welcome today’s announcement of funding. DkIT is committed to advancing the social, industrial, commercial capacity of our region and this funding will help us advance our already successful postgraduate graduate research portfolio. Since 2008, DkIT has secured in excess of €52M in national and European based funding which has led to a significant increase in the number and breadth of our postgraduate research community. This funding will help us continue our success in this area."

"Additional capacity also allows us to increase our effectiveness to serve the region by retaining graduates in the region and enabling companies to be better prepared to take advantage of BREXIT opportunities. We will continue to strengthen our relationships with colleges north and south in the delivery of a North Leinster-South Ulster regional powerhouse."

Tim McCormac, Head of Research & Postgraduate Studies at DkIT also added:

“In addition to bolstering our level 10 provision in our priority research clusters and increasing staff level 10 qualifications, additional funding will help us build capacity within the MEND cluster graduate school with DCU and enhance our collaborative PhD provision. We plan to grow postgraduate numbers at levels 9 and the 10 to more than 80 over the next 12 months.”

The joint application for funding by DkIT and AIT was submitted as part of their partnership under the Midlands, East and North Dublin (MEND) regional cluster which aims to support shared academic planning across this region and provide opportunities to collaborate for student success and regional economic development.

Note for Editors

The Higher Education Authority (HEA) invited submissions for funding support in respect of the costs arising from landscape reform as part of the implementation of the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 in March 2018. The total funding available under this call in the academic year 2018/2019 is €12 million. Following the Minister of State’s announcement the full funding allocations have been made and are set out under. Expenditure will be subject to ongoing monitoring, review and formal approval by the HEA.