Public Apology to the staff and the students of IT Sligo

“I would like to issue an apology to the staff and students of IT Sligo after comments I made on my facebook profile a few months back regarding the quality of education delivered there …” (more)

[Darren Bates, 3 February]

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Race to be technological first

“Ireland’s institutes of technology are scrambling to hold merger discussions to become the country’s first technological university. This follows a long awaited and much leaked national strategy report which ruled out upgrading existing institutes but held out the prospect of merged institutes, over time, applying for designation as technological universities …” (more)

[John Walshe, University World News, 16 January]

Institutes of technology discuss possible mergers across sector

“A number of institutes of technology are already discussing possible mergers which are to be urged in the long-awaited higher education strategy being published this morning …” (more)

[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 11 January]

Super sub Deasmhumnaigh seals it for NUI Galway

“NUI Galway 0-11 Sligo IT 0-10 Substitute Fiachra Deasmhumnaigh was the hero for NUI Galway as he landed a late point to secure victory in an entertaining clash at Dangan …” (more)

[Independent, 10 January]

New chair of Institutes of Technology Ireland

“Dr Brendan Murphy, President of Cork Institute of Technology (CIT), has become the chair of Institutes of Technology Ireland (IOTI) for 2011. A native of Tralee, Dr Murphy is a mathematics and statistics graduate and has lectured at CIT since 1974 …” (more)

[Education Matters, 9 January]

Institutes must not cease vital work in rush to university status

“Shortly after I took up my post as president of Dublin City University, I was invited to join selection panels to appoint directors (as the title then was) of two institutes of technology (ITs). This was a new experience for me …” (more)

[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, Irish Times, 23 November]

IT Sligo to ‘Simplify’ e-learning

“Developed by Claire Burge, a graduate of CÉIM, the IT Sligo and Letterkenny IT Enterprise Development Programme, Simplify Learning uses social network concepts in academic environments to help students to learn differently, through sharing knowledge and personal experience …” (more)

[TechCentral.ie, 15 November]

‘No scope for redundancies’ at largest institutes

“Two of the country’s largest institutes of technology have indicated they have little or no scope for redundancies despite Department of Education suggestions that a collapse in apprentice training could leave dozens of lecturers surplus to requirement …” (more)

[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 19 October]

Lecturers in ITs to face compulsory redundancy

“An attempt to remove people by virtue of their membership of one particular union is beneath contempt and is surely illegal …” (discussion thread)

[Politics.ie, 15 October]

‘Surplus’ public sector staff will be forced out

“The Government is planning to push through compulsory redundancies in the public service for the first time in the history of the State. It is targeting up to 100 college lecturers represented by the rebel Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI), who are deemed to be ‘surplus to requirements’ …” (more)

[John Walshe, Independent, 15 October]

IT Sligo ‘most improved’ HE institute in Ireland

“IT Sligo has been named ‘most improved’ Higher Education Institution in Ireland. The college jumped ten places this year to 11th place in the Irish University League Table, which is compiled by The Sunday Times …” (more)

[Ocean FM, 17 September]

‘Technology university’ plan

“Madam, – Your Education Editor, Seán Flynn, reports that the National Strategy Group for Higher Education ‘does not accept the case made by some institutes of technology for university designation’. ‘Instead, it holds out the prospect of them being designated ‘technology universities’ …” (more)

[William Grimson, Irish Times, 25 August]

Important Voice Missing from Innovation Taskforce Implementation Group

“The announcement earlier this week of the members of a high-level group to implement the report of the Innovation Taskforce has drawn mixed comments. Some see it as a sign that action will now be taken to deliver on the recommendations of the taskforce, while for others it is deemed a further delaying tactic …” (more)

[Ciarán Ó Catháin,  A President’s Notebook, 14 May]

Technological University will help the smart economy

“This year will be another testing year for our economy and society and many challenges will have to be overcome before a full recovery can be achieved. One of the core components of the national plan for economic recovery is the Government’s strategy for the development of a smart economy focused on the support and creation of cutting-edge, high-tech, innovative industry and enterprise …” (more)

[Independent, 24 March]

Website launched to allow comparison of Institute of Technology courses

“A new website, BlueBrick.ie, was launched today to allow users to compare hundreds of courses from all the institutes of technology (ITs) easily online. All 14 ITs offer courses directly related to starting and running a business as well as other specific courses that can help to top up particular skills if you’re a start-up …” (more)

[Silicon Republic, 16 February]

Stop stereotyping tech colleges, Mr Sutherland

“Peter Sutherland’s extraordinary sideswipe at Institutes of Technology (IoTs) reveals an understanding of this sector of Irish higher education that is woefully ill-informed. Speaking at the launch of the Undergraduate Awards of Ireland and Northern Ireland, Mr Sutherland said he was opposed to the even distribution of resources between top universities and a ‘Ballygobackwards RTC …” (more)

[Independent, 27 January]

Institutes of Technology want to create new university

“The Institutes of Technology Ireland (IoTI), the body representing the 13 institutes around the country, has appointed a new chair for 2010 in the form of Dr Ruaidhrí Neavyn, president of the IT Carlow since 2004. Neavyn says that in terms of goals for 2010 the IoTI would ‘particularly welcome a recommendation on the establishment of a Technological University’, pending on the output of the Higher Education Strategic Review Group …” (more)

[Marie Boran, Silicon Republic, 15 January]

IT Sligo launches online lecture series

“Much like the iTunes U service from Apple, the Institute of Technology, Sligo, is launching a free online series of lectures in the form of webinars that begin on 27 January. IT Sligo, which also provides several online distance learning undergraduate and postgraduate courses, is running this series of 10 webinars aimed at third-level lecturers, looking at the dissemination of best practice in teaching and learning …” (more)

[Marie Boran, Silicon Republic, 5 January]

Institutes’ scientific research role grows

“The institutes of technology (ITs) have become a major contributor to Ireland’s efforts to deliver a smart economy via research, and the 13 ITs outside of Dublin now account for 20 per cent of the State spend on scientific research …” (more)

[Dick Ahlstrom, Irish Times, 17 December]

IT lecturers only spend 16 hours teaching a week

“Lecturers in Institutes of Technology are only teaching 480 hours out of the 560 they are contracted to – and are paid extra to correct their exam papers. In ITs, they are generally working a 16-hour teaching week. Fianna Fail TD Brendan Keneally said this was ‘extraordinary’ …” (more)

[Michael Brennan, Independent, 20 November]