DCU are receiving €1.5 million of the allocated portion of €6.3 million for the development of technological universities.
Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, announced on November 14th that €6.3 million was to be allocated across a number of universities for the ongoing development of technological universities.
It aims to improve teaching and learning and build skills to strengthen higher education which is to benefit Ireland’s economic recovery.
The development of these technological universities is done by restructuring the current programs and highlighting social and economic advances in their regions.
This is done through an establishment of different programmes at levels six through eight on the National Qualifications Framework and industry focused research.
“€1.5 million of the €6.3 million total funding allocated was made to the major restructuring project which has seen the incorporation of DCU, St. Patrick’s College Drumcondra, Mater Dei Institute and Church of Ireland College of Education”, a spokesperson for the Department of Education and Skills said.
DCU have used this funding to create a ‘New DCU’ pluralist teacher education centre of international relevance and scale, according to the Department of Education and Skills spokesperson.
“Prior to the latest allocation, the incorporation project had received €9.91 million in Exchequer funding since 2013”, according to the spokesperson.
Technological University for Dublin are being allocated €2.26 million and €1.2 million is going towards Connacht Ulster alliance. The €1.5 million given partially to DCU is also going to be shared among NUI Galway and technological universities across Munster and the South East of the country.
There are currently four institutions in the process of becoming technological universities which consist of Technological University for Dublin, Connacht Ulster Alliance, Munster Technological University and Technological University for the South East.
Technological University for Dublin is the unification of Dublin Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Tallaght and Institute of Technology Blanchardstown, where their headquarters will be located at the DIT Grangegorman campus.
This funding falls under the Technological Universities Bill which began its work in January 2014.
Ellen Fitzpatrick