TLWL Final Low-Res Single Pages

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BUILD AND ESTABLISH A TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
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challenge not unlike our current situation, the Higher Education Strategy Group
chaired by Dr. Colin Hunt, was asked to set out a roadmap for the role higher education
should play in better addressing the needs of society. In the preface to the
National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030, 3 Dr. Hunt said:
‘For a variety of reasons, Irish higher education is now at a point of transition:
the number of people entering the system is growing and the profile of students
is changing. Unemployment and changing patterns of work bring new urgency and
a much greater emphasis on lifelong learning and upskilling. A high proportion of
the skills that we need now in the workforce are high-order knowledge-based skills,
many of which can be acquired only in higher education institutions. The importance
of high quality research to the teaching mission and to underpinning socio-economic
development has grown significantly over the past decade and will continue to do so
over the next decade.’
Making a New University
One of the recommendations in the Hunt Report was to bring together
the strengths of regional Institutes of Technology so as to further enhance capacity,
performance and impact. This became the mandate for Technological University
Dublin. Although the first of its kind in Ireland, given the many excellent examples
around the world, a high bar has been set. TU Dublin is a member of the new European
Technological University consortium EUt+, designated by the European Commission.
This provides an excellent opportunity for TU Dublin to be part of the creation of a
new EU-wide model of education, equipping students with the knowledge and skills
to drive Europe’s global impact.
Approach to Education
Building on the foundations of its predecessor institutes, TU Dublin is
guided by an educational philosophy that celebrates the creation of knowledge and
the development of conceptual
understanding, with a
clear emphasis on practice
and the application of that
understanding. Students
are supported in gaining
understanding in their field
of study and the ability and
confidence to apply their
knowledge and skills as they
build sustainable careers.
Their studies lead to professional
accreditation and to
internationally recognised
qualifications.
The university
benefits from having a very
distinctive cohort of learners
that includes apprentices,
undergraduates, postgraduates, part-time students blending work with study, international
students, further education students, those returning to learning after time
at work and those with other responsibilities.
However, the purpose is not solely a practical education, but also the
formation of the whole graduate through the combination of the formal, informal and
hidden curriculum. A student-centred framework focuses on providing a unique, tailored
and personalised learning experience. Intellectual, professional and personal
attributes are encouraged in an integrated way, fostering a sense of connection
between the student and the university. Learning, research and engagement are
Grangegorman Campus, October 2020. Photo: Barrow Coakley