DkIT President Dr Michael Mulvey, Announces Initiatives to Further Accelerate TU Designation

DkIT President, Michael Mulvey, PhD. Said,

“I am very pleased to confirm that DkIT has made considerable progress towards TU designation. It is my central focus as my legacy in Dundalk to achieve this as rapidly as possible.  I believe this will deliver considerable benefits to the town and our region. I welcome the appointment of Dr Ruaidhri Neavyn by the HEA which is another important development in support of our commitment toward establishing a TU for our region. The Institute is already in a strong position in relation to meeting the key objectives and ambitions for TUs set out in the TURN Report, particularly in the area of research and postgraduate development. We are fully committed to achieving the objectives set out within our structured development programme which has been agreed in conjunction with the HEA.

 As outlined in our Strategic Plan 2020-22, DkIT is firmly focused on achieving TU status and we recognise its importance in supporting the continued economic and social development of North Leinster South Ulster and its value to our rich community of learners and graduates. We are confident that the new structured development is the best approach to enable us to reach this ambition. As part of our plans, we are committed to ensuring staff, students and wider stakeholders have an opportunity to continue to actively contribute to our TU development pathway. We have established a new Transformation Fund Steering Committee comprised of undergraduate and postgraduate students together with academic, research and professional staff which will help ensure an institute-wide approach is adopted at all times.”

Following news of the Dr Neavyn’s appointment, the HEA has issued the following statement on this issue:

“The HEA notes and welcomes the strategic objective of DkIT to become part of a TU under the Technological Universities Act 2018. Similar to other institutes of technology the HEA are engaging with DkIT in a supportive manner with a view to assisting them in achieving their ambitions. In this regard the HEA have provided DkIT with funding from the Technological Universities Transformation Fund to assist them in meeting the required legislative criteria. Further the HEA have provided a special advisor, Dr. Ruaidhri Neavyn, to assist the President, Governing Body and Management Team in achieving their TU ambitions.”

“The HEA would like to thank the President, Leadership Team, and Chairperson and members of the Governing Body for the positive interactions they and its advisor have had with them to date. The HEA would also like to compliment all of the above on successfully applying for TUTF funding, establishing their TUTF TU steering group and establishing their governing body TU steering group; all of which represent key milestones for DkIT on their road to achieving their ambitions. The HEA looks forward to continuing to support and work with DkIT in achieving its primary strategic objective to become part of a TU.”

Dr Tim McCormac, Head of Research and Postgraduate Studies at DkIT is leading the institute’s new Transformation Fund Steering Committee. Over coming weeks, members of the committee alongside DkIT leadership will organise a series of consultative forums with staff and students to provide a comprehensive update on the TU Development Pathway and outline clear objectives for the new year.

Throughout its transition towards TU designation, DkIT will remain committed to its existing systems and a procedures for quality assurance which were recently deemed to be exemplary by International panel of assessors and on a par with the Standard and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area. In 2018, the institute underwent a QQI CINNTE Institutional Review, which confirmed that DkIT has ’robust QA policies and procedures in place’ and stated that these policies and procedures  guarantee the quality of teaching and learning ‘and have appropriate regard to QQI Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines (Core)’.

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