Higher Education Landscape and Technological University ... · for the strategic development of higher education in Ireland, namely, widening participation, enhancing teaching and

Higher Education Landscape

and

Technological University

Phase 1 Submission

July 2012

CIT Higher Education Landscape and Technological University Phase 1 Submission to HEA – July 2012

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1. Mission Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) is based on a number of campus sites across Cork City and County

and has a history which can be traced back to the Cork Municipal Technical Institute which was

established in the early 1900s. The greater Cork region (city and county), with an overall population

of over 519,000 and a youth population of over 65,0001, provides the Institute with 70% of its

student body which currently consists of almost 15,000 individuals equating to over 9,000 full-time-

equivalent students. The Institute plays a vital role in the economic activity of the greater Cork

region which has an annual industrial output of over €31 billion with a workforce of 27,798 and

almost 700 economic units (i.e. businesses, industrial plants, etc)2. The Institute’s pivotal importance

in the local economy can be gauged by the fact that there are currently over 60 early stage

businesses in the CIT Rubicon business incubator and there have been over 170 successful start-ups

in the past decade from the CIT Genesis enterprise support programme. CIT’s provision of continuing

professional development courses (22% of total enrolments) is second only to that of DIT in terms of

range of courses and student numbers. The National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI), which is

the national centre for the education and training of mariners for both the merchant navy and the

Irish Naval Service, is a constituent college of CIT. The Institute makes a significant contribution to

the cultural life of the region through the educational and cultural activities of the CIT Cork School of

Music and the CIT Crawford College of Art and Design. CIT has a long-standing and productive

relationship with University College Cork (UCC) which extends to joint provision of courses and

collaborative research initiatives. Our relationship with UCC is addressed in more detail in Section 3

of this document.

We have been consistent in our view that designation as a technological university is essential in

order to allow CIT to continue to develop its mission in line with regional and national priorities. CIT

applied for technological university designation in 2008 and also strongly supported the provision for

creating technological universities contained in the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030.

In collaboration with our partner institutions in Limerick and Kerry (Tralee), we are proposing to

develop the Munster Technological University (MTU). We will establish a new university which

retains the mission and focus of the existing Institutes of Technology but which will allow that

mission to be developed and enhanced to deliver a significant positive impact at regional and

national level. The proposed MTU, and its impact on the Munster region, is addressed in detail in

Section 4 of this document.

Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) is proud of its distinct mission and role in the provision of higher

education for the region and beyond. Our mission is:

To provide student-centred, career-focused education and research for the personal, professional

and intellectual development of the student and for the benefit of the broader society in the

region and beyond.

As we look towards the future we have an ambitious and challenging vision for the strategic

development of CIT which is that:

1 2011 Census of the Population, Central Statistics Office

2 2009 Census of Industrial Production, Central Statistics Office


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CIT will be an internationally recognised centre of excellence in the provision of career-focused

education which produces effective, ethical professionals capable of entrepreneurship, innovation

and creativity.

Achieving this vision requires the development of learners who are flexible thinkers capable of

creativity and innovation with the goal that, by the time they leave CIT, our graduates will already

possess the attributes and aptitude required to be effective professionals and practitioners in their

chosen field. We seek to educate professionals throughout our broad range of undergraduate,

postgraduate and research programmes across science, engineering, business, the humanities, craft

studies, visual arts, maritime studies and music. It is our goal to ensure that every CIT graduate will

be recognised as possessing and practising the following strengths and competencies:

A CIT graduate will have a broad range of relevant discipline-specific knowledge, skills and

competencies.

A CIT graduate will exhibit personal and professional efficacy and integrity, enabled by the

development of a broad range of competencies including interpersonal and communication

skills, teamwork, ethics and social responsibility.

A CIT graduate will be motivated and empowered to be a lifelong learner with a passion for

learning which is underpinned by the essential skills of inquiry and scholarship.

A CIT graduate will have the ability to create and apply knowledge in a variety of

professional contexts, having participated in an educational programme which fosters

problem solving, knowledge discovery, research and the use of knowledge in real-world

situations.

This vision sees CIT becoming an international exemplar of good practice in professional education.

CIT will pursue this goal through the ongoing adoption of best practice in teaching, learning and

research as follows:

Active and collaborative student-centred learning which engages the student’s desire to

learn and challenges them to take ownership of their learning experience.

A relevant and flexible career-focused curriculum, developed in close partnership with

enterprise.

Research education which delivers a range of skills including creativity, inquiry, problem

solving and innovation, and develops professional researchers capable of pursuing research,

innovation and development careers in both enterprise and academic settings.

CIT will continue to be a national and international leader in enterprise engagement and in the

practice of extending the education campus into the workplace and the wider community. The CIT

approach to campus extension and engagement will be characterised by:

The development of engagement as an Institute-wide commitment, embracing education,

research, innovation and enterprise support.

The fostering of two-way engagement and knowledge exchange between CIT and external

partners.


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The creation of agile and flexible learning pathways in partnership with enterprises and

communities, incorporating the recognition of prior learning and work-based learning.

Enhanced practice and policy frameworks that recognise and support the valuable

contribution of enterprises and communities to the curriculum to ensure relevance and

currency.

Responsiveness is at the core of our mission and therefore effective campus extension and

engagement is an essential activity for CIT. We are seeking to develop a professional outward-facing

interface through which external communities, organisations and enterprises can interact with CIT.

Through these interactions and partnerships we will ensure that we continue to meet the needs of

our stakeholders.

Our strategic goals are aligned with broader national goals including those outlined in the National

Strategy for Higher Education to 2030. In particular the National Strategy identified four broad areas

for the strategic development of higher education in Ireland, namely, widening participation,

enhancing teaching and learning and the student experience, developing research, innovation and

knowledge transfer, and improving engagement with enterprise and the wider society.

As we work towards achieving our strategic goals, CIT has identified a number of areas where we will

strive to make significant strategic achievements. These areas encapsulate the domains of priority

identified in the National Strategy as well as establishing areas for strategic development that are

specific to CIT. CIT will strive to make significant achievements in the areas of:

Developing and Improving the Student Experience

Offering High Quality, Relevant and Flexible Programmes

Strengthening and Extending Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Activities

Prioritising Targeted Internationalisation Activities

Advancing and Growing the Mission and Role of CIT

Below we detail the strategic areas targeted and outline top-level objectives and targets to be

achieved.

Developing the Student Experience and Offering High Quality Programmes

The student experience is an essential element of a student-centred institution. The student

experience must be viewed in the broadest terms and must encapsulate the experience of the online

learner who never experiences the CIT campus as well as the more standard on-site learner. Our

goal is that every CIT student will be provided with a positive and supportive learning environment.

Our programmes of study are the bedrock of our strategic goals and future success. We will continue

to strive for the highest international standards in terms of the delivery and quality of these

programmes. Furthermore, it is essential that our programmes are current and relevant to the needs

of the enterprise and the broader society as well as the learners’ needs and that they are made

accessible through flexible and open provision.


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As we continue to achieve the twin goals of a high-quality student experience and high-quality

programmes we have identified the following top-level objectives:

Through the implementation of best practice in teaching & learning, CIT will develop an

enhanced student experience.

CIT will provide a supportive environment for our students through the provision of effective,

student-centred supports and services.

Through developing and implementing best practice in the area of curriculum design, CIT will

continue to enhance the quality of its programmes of study.

The relevance of CIT programmes will be ensured through professional accreditation and

ongoing feedback from employer and sectoral stakeholders.

CIT will continue to develop, encourage and enable the employability of its graduates through

the incorporation of employability development activities, such as professional practice and

enterprise-linked projects, in programmes of learning.

CIT will offer increased flexible learning opportunities by significantly expanding its existing

open/distance learning capabilities and programmes across all disciplines and levels.

Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Activities

CIT is one of the highest-performing research & innovation institutions in the country and has been

the highest-performing institution outside of the university sector under the Programme for

Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) for the past five years. Since 2005, the Institute has more

than doubled its research student numbers to 85 PhDs and 92 research Masters, with an additional

23 post-doctoral researchers and research assistants.

By the end of 2013 CIT will have completed construction of two new dedicated research buildings.

The NIMBUS Centre for Research in Embedded Networked Systems was opened in 2010 and covers

an area of 1750 m2 over two floors and is one of the most heavily-networked buildings in the State.

The Centre for Research in Advanced Therapeutic Engineering (CREATE) will be opened in late 2013

and will cover an area of 1600 m2 over two floors.

CIT has received over €90m in research funding in the past five years, representing more than 25%

of the total for the Institutes of Technology sector (excluding DIT). This funding has come from all

major national funding agencies (HEA, SFI, EI, EPA, IRCSET, IRCHSS, Department of Agriculture,

Department of the Marine) and from EU programmes (FP4-7, INTERREG, ERDF). Direct funding from

industry amounted to almost €2m in 2011.

Our research strategy focuses on developing expertise, critical mass and research excellence in a

small number of specific disciplines. To date we have had considerable success in developing our

research around four Institutional Research Clusters (IRCs):

NIMBUS (covering networks of wireless systems) - Including the TEC industry-interface centre.


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BIO-EXPLORE (covering bioactive compounds, analytical chemistry and biomedical engineering) -

Including the MEDIC industry-interface centre.

PHOTONICS (covering generation and detection of light) - Including the CAPPA industry-interface

centre and Blackrock Castle Observatory public-engagement in science facility and research centre.

ENERGY AND SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT (covering renewable sources, smart grid and energy

efficiency).

These research clusters together account for nearly 300 research staff and students across 10

departments, supported by Delegated Authority to Level 10 (PhD) in most of the disciplines and each

aligns with national research priorities. There are close links between the clusters and the

undergraduate cohort in terms of new course developments, laboratory placement, undergraduate

project work and access to specialised equipment and technologies.

Additional technology transfer, training and consultancy is undertaken within specialised Technology

Centres in the Institute. These centres are national resource centres and provide independent

expertise, advice and assistance to different sectors of industry, business and government bodies.

They include:

The Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Management Systems (CAMMS) which

provides individuals and companies with opportunities to study for and obtain professional

qualifications in specific areas as well as research and consultancy services to a range of

industries.

The Clean Technology Centre (CTC) which works closely with the EPA to provide training and

consultancy to industry as well as research into cleaner production technologies, waste

management and regulatory compliance.

NMCI Services which provides bespoke training and consultancy for the maritime industry

and the offshore oil and gas sector.

PhD education at CIT aligns with the Lisbon/Barcelona Agendas and specifically the Salzburg’s

principles by (i) equipping students with a range of the highest-quality research and innovation skills

relevant to their discipline area, (ii) training them with the skills needed for the wider employment

market and (iii) providing them with multiple career options. These business-ready and innovative

graduates can be expected to play a key role in achieving the vision put forward in the government’s

Smart Economy Framework (2008). In 2011 the Academic Council adopted the “Framework for the

Delivery of Structured PhD Education” and the “Framework for Professional Doctorates”. These

documents define the characteristics and requirements of doctoral research into the future. In PRTLI

V, CIT was the only Institute of Technology to be awarded funding to lead a Graduate Education

Programme. The Ed4Life Graduate Programme supports students in the life sciences from CIT, UCC

and Teagasc Moorepark. CIT is also involved in a further three Graduate Education Programmes.

CIT has long been active in providing innovation and business support in the South-West region. The

Institute runs a number of entrepreneurship support programmes, including the Genesis programme

in association with Enterprise Ireland which has produced 170 successful start-ups, yielding 2,400

jobs over the past 11 years. CIT also operates the Rubicon business incubation centre which

currently houses over 60 knowledge-based companies employing approximately 180 people.


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As we seek to strengthen and extend our research, innovation and entrepreneurship activities CIT

will focus on the following priorities:

CIT will continue to enhance and promote technology transfer activity through collaborative and

contract research, licensing and other such initiatives.

Support mechanisms (e.g. Rubicon business incubation centre) for new enterprises will be

consolidated and entrepreneurship training will be expanded.

CIT will increase its researcher numbers and research and innovation outputs by 10 - 15% in the

period 2012 to 2016.

The CIT Extended Campus will be developed to support two-way engagement of individuals and

organisations with the Institute for the purpose of knowledge exchange, learning, research and

other activities.

Provision of work-based and employee-focused education opportunities and services will be

developed and enhanced.

Prioritising Targeted Internationalisation Activities

CIT has long-established and productive international partnerships in Europe, India, China and

beyond. These activities include joint programmes, research collaboration and staff and student

exchanges. We are committed to the ongoing development of these and similar partnerships to

provide an international context for the Institute’s activities as well as international experience for

our students and graduates.

In relation to our internationalisation activities CIT has established the following objectives:

CIT will continue to establish significant strategic partnerships with selected overseas higher

education institutions and research organisations.

Through the promotion of two-way international exchange programmes and the provision of

international and inter-cultural skills, competencies and experience in programmes of study,

staff, students and graduates will be equipped to participate in the international professional

environment and the global society.

International student intake will be increased by 100% in the period 2012 to 2016.

CIT will play a leading role in the development of the European Graduate School along with our

partner institutions in Germany, England and Norway.

Advancing and Growing the Mission and Role of CIT

CIT intends to work with government, policy makers and other stakeholders to develop our mission

and role in order to deliver an effective national higher education system and the best possible

return for the Irish economy and the broader society. We will strive to help achieve national

priorities in areas such as widening participation, enhancing the quality of provision and developing

the higher education system.

In this context CIT will focus on the following objectives:


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CIT will continue to facilitate inclusive access to higher education for increasing numbers of

individuals, particularly among under-represented groups in society.

By means of collaboration and cooperation with educational partners, enterprise and public

bodies, CIT will become a major campus of a newly designated Technological University.

CIT will actively promote the development of a regional higher education cluster.

National targets in relation to the participation of under-represented groups in higher education

will be achieved or surpassed and CIT will increase its adult lifelong learner and CPD student

enrolments by 50%.


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2. Student Profile The National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 projects significant increases (of the order of

20%) in student numbers in higher education over the course of the next 5 years. We believe that

many of the underlying conditions and assumptions that led to these projections are no longer valid

and there will need to be some revision of these targets. CIT recently completed its strategic

planning process for the period 2012 to 2016 and have set the following objectives in relation to our

student profile during this time period:

Overall student numbers will increase by 10% in the period 2012 to 2016.

There will be a 50% increase in non-standard students (this includes mature, CPD, work-based).

CIT aims to have a minimum of 600 whole time equivalent (WTE) students studying via open and

distance learning by 2016.

There will be a 100% increase in the number of international students in the next 5 years.

There will be a 10 - 15% increase in the numbers of researcher/research students.

The overall increase of 10% in student numbers represents a realistic goal in the current climate.

Encapsulated within the overall figure are significant increases in the numbers of non-standard,

open and distance, and international students. These increases are aligned to established national

needs and priorities and this is particularly the case in relation to the non-standard and international

categories. The increase in students accessing the Institute via the open and distance mode of

delivery could be described as a facilitation initiative. In allowing programme delivery to be accessed

in a manner that fits a student’s lifestyle, this approach will facilitate greater numbers of students in

accessing CIT courses. It will also allow the Institute to achieve more efficient use of existing

resources by opening up the delivery of a programme to the widest possible cohort of students. The

increase in researcher numbers reflects the development of the Institute’s research activities over

the last 10 years and confirms our intention to continue to grow our existing research centres of

excellence and, where appropriate, to establish new areas of research in a coherent manner.


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3. Regional clusters CIT is fully committed to the concept of clusters and we believe that they are essential to a coherent

and effective higher education system. Higher education clusters within the region will allow the

different institutions to negotiate their missions and related provision where these interact and

overlap. Clustering will facilitate collaborative activities and provision thus enhancing the activities of

the entire higher education system as well as providing a mechanism for preventing wasteful

duplication of activity.

CIT already has a significant track record of collaboration and shared provision with University

College Cork (UCC). The collaborations to date include:

Joint degrees in Architecture (BSc, MArch), Biomedical Sciences (BSc, MSc). These are sector-

leading initiatives in university-Institute of Technology collaboration.

Joint research activities in key areas including maritime energy, environment, photonics (Tyndall

National Institute), biosciences and ICT. Formal MOUs covering each of these areas have been

signed with UCC.

Sharing of academic expertise through teaching and learning exchanges including initial art

teacher education, architecture, music, civil engineering, process engineering, art history, energy

engineering.

Sharing of services and activities including disability support, exam facilities, SIF projects.

Sharing of facilities (Copley Street Cork Architectural Centre, associated library in Cork School of

Music).

Joint governance arrangements including Joint Management Boards, Joint Academic Standards

Board, joint programme approval processes, Boards of Studies, joint marks and standards and

recently full delegation of authority to CIT from HETAC to award joint degrees with UCC.

This is not an exhaustive list but is illustrative of the scale and breadth of the activities. As well as

these there are a number of ongoing and planned collaborations such as the IMERC marine research

initiative and the Cork Science and Innovation Park development in partnership with Cork County

and City Councils as well as private enterprise.

We believe that the concept of clusters should not be restricted to higher education and should

extend in the first instance to other education institutions in the region. CIT has a number of

articulation agreements in place with the further education providers in Cork City and it is our

intention to expand and strengthen these over the coming years. A coherent higher and further

education cluster will provide significant benefits to the learners as well as delivering benefits for the

region and beyond by enhancing the skill-set and employability of the workforce. The regional

education cluster should also include those at secondary and primary level. It is important that there

is interaction with second level in particular to ensure that students are empowered to access and

succeed in tertiary education. This is why CIT, in partnership with other higher education

institutions, is developing an access programme which spans the whole of the Munster region.

These examples of current cluster activity and the good practices identified therein (alongside those

of our partners identified below in Section 4) will be used as the basis for forging the policy on

Regional Clusters of the proposed Munster Technological University. This will be at the heart of a

network of relationships involving further education colleges, other universities, local agencies and

diverse organisations designed to maximise its ability to deliver its mission and to support others in


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theirs. Formal relationships with further education colleges and other providers, both for the

purpose of enhancing distributed learning and facilitating effective student access, will be

established to maximise regional impact. This distributed cluster presence across the region will

reinforce the institution’s ability to work in partnership with local businesses, industry and the

professions. It will also enable applied research to be focused at the point of need. The Governing

Body of the University will have appropriate representation from across the region and this will

ensure that the various interests and stakeholders within the region will have real and valued input

to the planning and strategic direction of the University, thereby ensuring its activities are

appropriately aligned to local and regional needs. Regional Clusters and the concept of the

Technological University go hand in hand.


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4. The Munster Technological University We propose to establish the Munster Technological University (MTU) jointly with the Institute of

Technology Tralee and the Limerick Institute of Technology in order to capitalise on the synergies

between all three successful Institutes of Technology. A Memorandum of Understanding has been

ratified by the three governing bodies and signed by the Chairs and Presidents as a sign of the

commitment to this initiative designed to meet the current and future needs of Munster and Ireland.

The creation of a Technological University sector in Ireland is, we believe, a necessary and natural

progression in the development of Irish higher education. The establishment of the Institutes of

Technology (then the Regional Technical Colleges) in the 1970s was a response to an identified lack

of skilled manpower at technician and technologist level to meet the economic expansion of that

time. As Irish economic and social development continued apace over the following decades, the

Institutes of Technology remained responsive to the needs of the broader society and expanded the

breadth and level of their course provision. This enhanced mission was recognised and facilitated by

enabling legislation, in 1992 and again in 2006, which among other things provided for the

development of the Institutes’ research activities. The National Strategy on Higher Education

acknowledges that “the high calibre graduates produced by the higher education system have been

critical to the development of high technology, indigenous industry and to the attraction of very

substantial FDI into the country.” The Report goes on to state “however, what has served us well in

the past will not serve us well in the future without significant change”. The acceptance by the

government of the National Strategy points the way towards a technological university sector. The

Institutes of Technology in Cork, Kerry and Limerick are fully committed to, and very proud of, their

history and mission and we believe that the creation of the Munster Technological University will

allow enhanced delivery of that mission as envisaged in the National Strategy.

The Munster Technological University, born out of a merger of strong partners with shared

philosophies, will make a vital and positive contribution to the society and economy of the region

through:

its enhanced critical mass facilitating the high quality distributed provision of focused and

relevant research and taught programmes;

improved effectiveness and efficiency, through the accompanying economies of scale;

a reinforced spirit of enterprise and entrepreneurship across all parts of the institution,

including:

o the capacity to generate funds from non-traditional sources,

o incubation centres in partnership with relevant agencies supporting spin-in and spin-out

start-up companies

o closeness to the world of work and the professional readiness of graduates,

o a staff base which will be as engaged with the business, industrial and professional

community as it is with academia;

a focused research mission which stresses application and enterprise collaboration;

a renewed national and international perception of capability in research, innovation and

entrepreneurialism;

enhanced international collaborations including fee-paying incoming students, student and

staff exchanges, research projects and combined courses of study,


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full awarding powers at NFQ levels 6-10 supported by demonstrably robust quality assurance

processes underpinning taught and research degrees, and appropriate administrative services;

its explicit channels of access, transfer and progression through and from all levels;

the enhanced portability and recognition of graduates' qualifications nationally and

internationally.

The projections shown in Appendix A clearly demonstrate that the merged institution will be well

positioned to reach the necessary criteria for the establishment of a TU. Furthermore, it is

anticipated, based on the experience of newly designated universities at home and abroad, that re-

designation will result in a significantly enhanced capacity allowing the new university quickly to

surpass the level required by the relevant criteria.

The Munster Region and the Impact of the MTU

The province of Munster has a population of 1.2 million as determined by the 2011 Census. It

incorporates the official Eurostat NUTS regions of Ireland South-West, Ireland Mid-West as well as

part of the Ireland South-East region. The combined economic output of these regions is in excess of

€36 billion, or 25% of national Gross Value Added (GVA). The region has a workforce of over 400,000

which equates to more than 22% of the national workforce3. The strength and maturity of the

region’s economy is evident in the fact that Munster has a greater economic output than a number

of nation states including Luxembourg, Uruguay, Bulgaria and Lithuania4. Further detail on the MTU

location, student catchment and relevant economic indicators are presented in Appendix B.

The establishment of MTU will play a key role in the economic strategy of Munster and Ireland, in

developing a competitive, high-skills, knowledge-based society. It will, as part of wider national

policy, enhance Ireland’s ability to compete in an increasingly challenging global environment.

When addressing the impact of the Munster Technological University on the Munster region it is

important to recognise that the three institutions that make up the MTU already make a significant

positive impact on the broader region. However, in the context of this section the focus is specifically

on areas where the MTU delivers added value beyond what is currently provided by the three

constituent institutions.

In looking at the nature and impact of the Munster Technological University on the Munster region

we have used a combination of two frameworks developed respectively by the OECD5 and the

Centre for International Economics in Canberra, Australia6. In examining the impact of the MTU we

have therefore reflected below upon five indices derived from these frameworks:

1. the support for regional innovation through research, knowledge exchange and related

activities;

2. the provision of human and economic capital within the region through teaching and learning;

3. the development of the region and regional capacity;

4. contribution to social, cultural and environmental development of the region;

3 Central Statistics Office: County Incomes and Regional GDP for 2009 – report published January 2012

4 Source World Bank - http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.FCST.CD

5 The OECD programme for institutional management in higher education (IMHE) sponsors a project looking at

the role of higher education in regional and city development which uses four headings to assess impact. 6 The Australian government review of higher education in 1998 (the West review) included a framework for

assessing the economic contributions of regional universities (developed by the Centre for International Economics).


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5. direct economic impact on the region.

Nature of the MTU: The five impact indices

The MTU will build on the core competencies of the merging institutions to create a new

Technological University which will deliver substantial benefits and will have a significant impact on

the life of the region.

1. Support for regional innovation through research, knowledge exchange and related

activities

The MTU will have a research mission which emphasises enabling research in that it will focus on the

fundamental creation of knowledge and the exploration and exploitation of that knowledge in

application. This encompasses but also goes beyond applied research which seeks to create

knowledge in a solution-oriented manner applicable to pre-defined practical contexts. Our research

activities will be “joined as appropriate to high end professional and occupational training, and

underpin relations with some local, national and global enterprises.” 7 The objective will be to

support the creation of knowledge and to promote the exchange of knowledge through:

research that explicitly informs teaching programmes which will, in addition, be underpinned

by scholarship reflecting a knowledge of both the academic and the occupational spheres;

a research strategy that foregrounds links to enterprises and the contribution MTU can make

to innovation and knowledge exchange as well as partnerships with other complementary

research units, inside and outside Ireland;

an especially strong emphasis on business incubation, innovation and knowledge exchange;

its capacity to support the strategic extension of research and doctoral activity into new fields

as their relevance develops;

the development of joint research activities with business enterprises, industry and the

professions with some based on shared funding.

The current central focus on enterprise support and innovation across the three partner institutions

provides a unique platform for the Technological University to grow significantly the level of activity

in this area. Currently, the three institutions provide such services across distributed centres

throughout Munster. Their combined success is borne out by the fact that in the past decade over

3,000 jobs have been created through the support of over 305 start-up companies and these

companies have secured investment which is in excess of €100 million.

The portfolio of current research, entrepreneurial and innovative activity in the three Institutes

defines the particular areas which the MTU will build on immediately and which differentiate MTU’s

offerings from those of the existing universities in the region.

2. Provision of human and economic capital within the region through teaching and

learning

Similarly the academic programme profile of MTU will reflect the differentiated mission of

Technological Universities. We understand Technology to mean ‘knowledge in use, not just science

or engineering in use7’ Thus visual and performing arts, applied humanities and business will

continue to play an important role alongside other curriculum areas but based upon the mission

7 Marginson Simon: Criteria for Technological University designation, Feb 2011


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critical perspective of supporting the economy through career oriented professional relevance and

industry-led research and innovation. MTU will be noted for its:

extensive and high quality programme provision and teaching/learning activity across NFQ

levels 6-10;

a responsive academic portfolio with a high degree of flexibility, with interdisciplinary and

multidisciplinary provision to meet market/stakeholder needs rapidly and cost effectively;

flexible and innovative forms of learning through modular and credit-based provision;

facilitating distance learning, in-company delivery, in-company programme accreditation,

recognition of prior (experiential) learning, articulation agreements with partners, out-centre

delivery and blended learning;

collaboration and cooperative arrangements with other universities, and further education

institutions leading to effective, distributed provision and access routes into and through NQF

levels 6-10 based around the regional cluster concept.

There will be the universal use of international benchmarking of programmes at all levels in terms of

content and quality, and a majority of staff teaching in each area of professional education will be

required to have had professional practice experience in that field.

3. Development of the region and regional capacity

At the heart of Munster Technological University’s mission will be the relationship with external

partners and the extension of the university campus across the Munster region and into the

community in order to enhance regional capacity. This will be facilitated through the multi-campus

dimension brought about by the merger of the three partners. It will be reflected in:

intensive and broad-based links with occupations, employers and community organisations;

a specialised focus on enterprise and community links;

the output of graduates that are professionally ready, with a fully developed capacity to apply

their knowledge in the workplace;

a curriculum developed in close consultation with business, industry and the professions;

the involvement of personnel seconded from and/or visiting from business, industry and the

professions in teaching programmes at all levels;

a governing body that collectively includes the broad range of necessary competences

represented inter alia through national and international members from business, industry,

the professions, external HE management, students, staff and alumni;

strong processes for feedback and evaluation by business, industry and the professions,

partner institutions and students;

a geographical spread across a region sufficient to meet the stakeholder needs of business,

industry and the professions through multiple campuses and information technology;

the development of a social and community based support ethos.

MTU will specialise in what has been labelled ‘Mode 2’8 knowledge creation. ‘Mode 2’ knowledge is

inherently trans-disciplinary and is generated within the specific contexts of application (i.e. from

interaction with regional businesses, industry, public services and professions). The MTU will be at

the core of an enterprise and innovation eco-system which will provide an environment for the

8 Introduction: ‘Mode 2’ Revisited, The New Production of Knowledge – Minerva 41, 2003


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creation and exchange of knowledge along with the provision of a range of services including

education, training, research, product development and business incubation. The MTU will work

alongside the traditional universities in the region to exploit the synergies of the distinct yet

complementary approaches to the creation of knowledge. The creation of a productive higher

education cluster within the region together with the enterprise and innovation eco-system

developed by the MTU will allow Munster to continue to be productive, progressive and innovative

and to become a ‘learning region’9.

4. Contribution to social, cultural and environmental impact on the region

The MTU will provide a centre of education, practice and performance in the area of the visual and

performing arts which will serve the entire Southern and Mid-West region, as well as being a centre

of national significance in some specialised areas. The MTU will be the only HE Institution in Munster

delivering programmes in the culturally and economically vital sector of visual arts.

The physical distribution of the University campuses as well as its fundamental commitment to

providing its core activities directly engaged with its constituencies mean that the MTU will provide a

real and positive value added for society within the region.

The MTU will have a strong focus on the natural environment of the region and will be committed to

safeguarding the environmental wellbeing of the region. All three Institutes have track records in

environmental projects in cooperation with the EPA, SEI, local authorities and utility companies in

areas including energy generation, energy management and water management. The increased

capability and capacity of the MTU will allow for increased activity in this area.

5. Direct economic impact on the region

A higher education institution has a direct economic impact on its region through a number of

factors including the value of the institution’s infrastructure and capital spend in the region, the

value of other institutional spending in the region, the value of the salaries of staff that live in the

region, and the value of staff and student spending. The impact of each of these factors will be

increased through the creation of a larger institution with more students, more activity and a greater

capacity for earning funding via national, European and international sources.

The overall contribution of the three institutions in terms of direct spending is conservatively

estimated at over €200 million. At present there are approximately 3,000 people employed across

the region by the three institutions and using a conservative multiplier of 3 to 1 (i.e. each job

supports 3 additional jobs in the local economy) means that currently a total of 12,000 jobs are

directly supported by the MTU partners. Based on international experience this contribution will

increase post-designation as the MTU will have an enhanced ability to contribute.

The Structure of MTU

The three existing Institutes of Technology in Cork, Kerry and Limerick have committed themselves

to the establishment of a single, fully unified, geographically distributed institution for the

development of the Munster Technological University. The new organisation will be a single

integrated institution centred on the pre-existing campus sites distributed across the Munster

region. This model will ensure that the proposed Technological University will deliver the

government’s objectives in a coherent and strategic manner.

9 Toward the learning region - R Florida – Futures 27(5), 1995


Page 16 of 23

A detailed plan describing the consolidation model will be presented as part of the Stage Two

documentation. A review of international best practice in multi-campus University structures will

inform this plan. In developing a single integrated model, local perspectives will be retained to meet

local needs (whether students or local agencies and businesses). It is envisaged that the leadership

and senior management roles will be based at different sites and therefore the top management

team of the University will be physically distributed in order to ensure that the University’s strategic

policy development is well informed by local circumstances as well as the regional, national and

international context. There will continue to be regionalised distribution of provision across the

main discipline areas at each of the major sites and programme provision up to level 8 and specific

taught programmes at level 9 will be available at each major site. The current research strengths of

the existing Institutes at Levels 9 and 10 will be built upon and enhanced.

Munster Technological University will maximise the use of modern technology which will be

embedded in the routine processes of the University for teaching, research activity, partnership

collaboration, delivery of services, routine management and administration. This will ensure cost-

effective working and create greater opportunities for stakeholders and staff.


Page 17 of 23

5 Consolidation The HEA Recurrent Grant Allocation Model (RGAM) has calculated that CIT was under-funded by

approximately 7% and the adjustment to the appropriate level of funding is underway on a staged

basis.

Based on RGAM and HEA projections of future funding levels, the size of CIT, its level of activity and

proven record of efficient resource allocation, we are confident that CIT can manage and develop its

current provision while remaining financially viable. However the goal of CIT is to develop its core

mission and to achieve an enhanced level of provision. Therefore we believe that merger, in the

context of designation as the Munster Technological University, is essential to advance our

institutional mission and to develop sufficient scale and scope to allow us to have a significant

national and international profile and impact.

6. Collaboration The National Strategy called for regional higher education clusters aimed at achieving greater

coherence in the national higher education system. However the concept of clusters, and the

collaboration that is inherent therein, need not be confined to regions or the higher education

sector. CIT is of the view that significant benefits can accrue for clusters and collaborations and we

wish to point to three types of collaboration which have and will continue to deliver tangible results

as follows:

National academic collaborations – There are numerous scenarios where institutions with similar

goals (or indeed challenges) can collaborate to a common end. These collaborations can also be

necessary where particular institutions have provision in disciplines which only exist in a small

number of institutions. Art, design, music and certain craft disciplines fall into this category and

there are significant national collaborations in these areas. The various national academic

collaborations in which CIT participates include the following:

CIT is involved in collaborative RDI activities with the Irish Energy Research Centre (IERC),

two SFI strategic research clusters, the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions,

the EU Marie-Curie ITN Network, SFI Walton Fellowships and a range of FP7 programmes.

CIT was involved in many SIF projects including leading the Education in Employment and

the Roadmap for Employment-Academic Partnerships. Many of the collaboration groups

have continued to interact and develop after the formal SIF project was completed.

CIT is involved in a number of IOTI led sector-wide projects including the Bluebrick learning

portal.

CIT was involved in a project with the Universities and DIT to develop a pilot national

student survey.

CIT is involved in national collaborations in art and design, music and craft.

Collaborations with enterprise and other external bodies – At the core of the mission of a

technological university is the degree to which its activities take place outside the institution.

Collaborations which involve enterprises as a clients, partners, suppliers or combinations of these

will be commonplace. CIT already has a history of successfully participating in such collaborations

including:


Page 18 of 23

EMC, Apple and other companies to provide CIT courses and bespoke training to facilitate

upskilling and/or redeployment of the workforce.

EMC, VMWare and government institutions to develop cloud computing infrastructure and

applications for use in the public sector and government.

Cork County and City Councils on projects relating to the Cork Science and Innovation Park,

transport, energy efficiency and water management.

Irish Naval Service to provide non-military education and training to their recruits at the

NMCI.

The GAC group for the provision of maritime training, up-skilling and certification to the

international shipping industry.

Engagement on joint projects with national culture organisations such as the National

Sculpture Factory, the Crawford Gallery and the Lewis Glucksman Gallery.

International collaborations – There is considerable potential for the Irish higher education system

to develop an enhanced international profile which has the potential to deliver significant economic

benefits to the country. Higher education can be traded as a service and this is especially the case in

an English-speaking country as can be seen from the successful international higher education

sectors in the UK and Australia. This enhanced international profile will be one of the key benefits of

the establishment of a Technological University sector. Notwithstanding the challenges inherent in

our current designation CIT has had success in developing fruitful international collaborations

including the following:

CIT has long-standing arrangements with the University of Applied Sciences Darmstadt

which include joint awards and research collaboration, as well as student and staff

exchange.

CIT is a partner, along with Plymouth University, the University of Applied Sciences

Darmstadt and University College Gjovig, in the establishment of the European Graduate

School.

CIT has a number of academic arrangements with the University of Pune which is one of the

largest and prestigious universities in India.

CIT is involved in a number of international initiatives led by the IOTI including the Ontario

Colleges initiative.

CIT has recently signed MOUs with Shanghai University and Tsinghua University in China,

where its main collaborations are in the area of visual art; activities include joint exhibitions

of student, staff and graduate work.


Page 19 of 23

No. No. %

New Entrants (Full-time Undergraduate) 2,109 Undergraduate Graduates 2,750 93%

Postgraduate Graduates 210 7%

Full-time Part-time Total Full-time Part-time Total

Other Enrolments (IoTs only) No. 2 947 949 Other Enrolments (IoTs only) % 0% 100% 8%

Foundation No. 0 0 0 Foundation % 0% 0% 0%

FETAC Cert No. 2 45 47 FETAC Cert % 4% 96% 0%

FETAC Advanced Cert No. 0 902 902 FETAC Advanced Cert % 0% 100% 8%

of which are apprenticeshipsNo. 0 894 894 of which are apprenticeships% 0% 100% 8%

Undergraduate No. 7,779 2,115 9,894 Undergraduate % 79% 21% 86%

Diploma/Cert No. 374 369 743 Diploma/Cert % 50% 50% 6%

Ordinary Degree (L7) No. 3,766 407 4,173 Ordinary Degree (L7) % 90% 10% 36%

Honours Degree (L8) No. 3,621 250 3,871 Honours Degree (L8) % 94% 6% 34%

Occasional No. 18 1,089 1,107 Occasional % 2% 98% 10%

Postgraduate No. 458 238 696 Postgraduate % 66% 34% 6%

Postgrad Diploma/Cert No. 0 4 4 Postgrad Diploma/Cert % 0% 100% 0%

Masters Taught (L9) No. 227 224 451 Masters Taught (L9) % 50% 50% 4%

Masters Research (L9) No. 104 1 105 Masters Research (L9) % 99% 1% 1%

PhD (L10) No. 98 0 98 PhD (L10) % 100% 0% 1%

Occasional No. 29 9 38 Occasional % 76% 24% 0%

Total Enrolments No. 8,239 3,300 11,539 Total Enrolments % 71% 29% 100%

Research & Taught (L9/10) FTE1) 577 Research & Taught (L9/10) % FTE L8 and All PG 13.5%

Research (L9/10) FTE 203 Research (L9/10) % FTE L8 and All PG 4.7%

Research (L10) FTE 98 Research (L10) % FTE L8 and All PG 2.3%

No. % No. %

General Programmes2) 0 General Programmes 0 0%

Education Science 0% Education Science 0 0%

Humanities & Arts 179 8% Humanities & Arts 5 5%

Social Science, Business & Law 413 20% Social Science, Business & Law 6 6%

Science 413 20% Science 45 46%

Engineering, Manufacturing & Construction 438 21% Engineering, Manufacturing & Construction 38 39%

Agriculture & Veterinary 59 3% Agriculture & Veterinary 0 0%

Health & Welfare 249 12% Health & Welfare 4 4%

Services 358 17% Services 0 0%

Combined 0 Combined 0 0%

Total 2,109 100% Total 98 100%

No. % No. %

Flexible Learners (Part-time, Distance, E-Learning) 3,300 29% Mature Entrants (Full-time Undergraduate) 300 14%

International Students (Full-time) 319 3% Estimate: Entrants with Disability (EAS)3) 250 12%

EU 211 66%

Non-EU 108 20%

Non-Progression Rate from 1st to 2nd Year % Level 7 15%

Level 8 15% Level 6 15%

No. 7) % € 0005) %

Core Staff 865 100% Total Income 96,179 100%

Academic Staff 567 67% State Grants 41,035 43%

Support staff 298 33% Fees 29,738 31%

Contract Research & Specialist Staff 77 100% Research Grants & Contracts 15,000 16%

Academic Staff 2 3% Other Income 10,406 11%

Support staff 75 97% Total Expenditure 94,542 100%

Total Staff 942 100% Core - Pay 61,433 65%

Total Academic 569 60% Core - Non-Pay 18,109 19%

Total Support 373 40% Research Grants & Contracts - Pay 5,200 6%

Research Grants & Contracts - Non-Pay 9,800 10%

Academic/Non-Academic Staff Ratio (Core) 1.9 Pay/Non-Pay Expenditure Ratio (incl. Research)5) 2.4 (67/28)

Student/Academic Staff Ratio (FTE/Core) 17.4 Pay/Non-Pay Expenditure Ratio (excl. Research)5) 3.4 (61/18)

Staff Qualifications (Proportion of…) % m²

Full-time Academic Staff with PhD qualification 35% Net Space per FTE Student 6.1

Full-time Academic Staff with PhD or Masters qu. 85% Gross Space per FTE Student 8.4

All Academic Staff with PhD qualification 30%

All Academic Staff with PhD or Masters qualification 85%

No. No.

Irish Patents Applications6) 4 Licence agreements for development

Spin offs/Campus Companies for development Publications index for development

Invention Disclosures for development Citations index for development

Enrolments

STUDENT NUMBERS

Entrants Graduates

DISCIPLINARY MIX

Full-time Undergraduate New Entrants Full and Part-time PhDs

STUDENT PROFILE

(% of Enrolments) (% of New Entrants)

Estimate: Entrants from Non-Manual, Semi-

and Unskilled Backgrounds (EAS)4) 800 38%

PROGRESSION

STAFF & FINANCIAL DATA

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

Appendix A –

Institutional Profile Cork Institute of Technology 2015/16


Page 20 of 23

No. No. %

New Entrants (Full-time Undergraduate) 4,658 Undergraduate Graduates 5,305 92%

Postgraduate Graduates 480 8%

Full-time Part-time Total Full-time Part-time Total

Other Enrolments (IoTs only) No. 215 1,448 1,663 Other Enrolments (IoTs only) % 12.9% 87.1% 7.4%

Foundation No. 0 13 13 Foundation % 0.0% 100.0% 0.1%

Access and Non-3rd Level

Access/Upskilling No. 195 8 203

Access and Non-3rd Level

Access/Upskilling % 96.1% 3.9% 0.9%

FETAC Cert No. 2 66 68 FETAC Cert % 2.9% 97.1% 0.3%

FETAC Advanced Cert No. 18 1,361 1,379 FETAC Advanced Cert % 1.3% 98.7% 6.1%

of which are apprenticeships No. 0 1,353 1,353 of which are apprenticeships % 0.0% 100.0% 6.0%

Undergraduate No. 15,877 3,728 19,604 Undergraduate % 81.0% 19.0% 87.0%

Diploma/Cert No. 1,499 636 2,135 Diploma/Cert % 70.2% 29.8% 9.5%

Ordinary Degree (L7) No. 6,264 801 7,065 Ordinary Degree (L7) % 88.7% 11.3% 31.3%

Honours Degree (L8) No. 7,927 525 8,452 Honours Degree (L8) % 93.8% 6.2% 37.5%

Occasional No. 187 1,766 1,953 Occasional % 9.6% 90.4% 8.7%

Postgraduate No. 774 502 1,276 Postgraduate % 60.7% 39.3% 5.7%

Postgrad Diploma/Cert No. 40 101 141 Postgrad Diploma/Cert % 28.4% 71.6% 0.6%

Masters Taught (L9) No. 318 334 652 Masters Taught (L9) % 48.8% 51.2% 2.9%

Masters Research (L9) No. 242 31 273 Masters Research (L9) % 88.6% 11.4% 1.2%

PhD (L10) No. 145 17 162 PhD (L10) % 89.5% 10.5% 0.7%

Occasional No. 29 19 48 Occasional % 60.8% 39.2% 0.2%

Total Enrolments No. 16,866 5,678 22,544 Total Enrolments % 74.8% 25.2% 100.0%

Research & Taught (L9/10) FTE1) 943 Research & Taught (L9/10) % FTE L8 and All PG 10.4%

Research (L9/10) FTE 411 Research (L9/10) % FTE L8 and All PG 4.5%

Research (L10) FTE 154 Research (L10) % FTE L8 and All PG 1.7%

No. % No. %

General Programmes2) 0 0% General Programmes 0 0%

Education Science 0 0% Education Science 0 0%

Humanities & Arts 542 12% Humanities & Arts 13 8%

Social Science, Business & Law 715 15% Social Science, Business & Law 11 7%

Science, Mathematics & Computing 1011 22% Science 79 49%

Engineering, Manufacturing & Construction 964 21% Engineering, Manufacturing & Construction 49 30%

Agriculture & Veterinary 92 2% Agriculture & Veterinary 2 1%

Health & Welfare 577 12% Health & Welfare 6 4%

Services 757 16% Services 2 1%

Combined 0 0% Combined 0 0%

Total 4,658 100% Total 162 100%

No. % No. %

Flexible Learners (Part-time, Distance, E-Learning) 5,678 25% Mature Entrants (Full-time Undergraduate) 878 19%

International Students (Full-time) 896 4% Estimate: Entrants with Disability (EAS)3) 443 10%

EU 499 56%

Non-EU 397 44%

Non-Progression Rate from 1st to 2nd Year % Level 7 19%

Level 8 13% Level 6 20%

No. % € 0005) %

Core Staff 1,753 92% Total Income 195,356 100%

Academic Staff 1,150 61% State Grants 84,018 43%

Support staff 603 32% Fees 60,951 31%

Contract Research & Specialist Staff 146 8% Research Grants & Contracts 25,538 13%

Academic Staff 26 1% Other Income 24,849 13%

Support staff 120 6% Total Expenditure 191,168 100%

Total Staff 1,899 100% Core - Pay 122,639 64%

Total Academic 1,176 62% Core - Non-Pay 43,983 23%

Total Support 723 38% Research Grants & Contracts - Pay 10,564 6%

Research Grants & Contracts - Non-Pay 13,982 7%

Academic/Non-Academic Staff Ratio (Core) 1.9 1.625881 Pay/Non-Pay Expenditure Ratio (incl. Research) 2.3

Student/Academic Staff Ratio (FTE/Core) 17.1 0.052165 Pay/Non-Pay Expenditure Ratio (excl. Research) 2.8

Staff Qualifications (Proportion of…) % m²

Full-time Academic Staff with PhD qualification 29% Net Space per FTE Student 7.4

Full-time Academic Staff with PhD or Masters qu. 87% Gross Space per FTE Student 9.9

All Academic Staff with PhD qualification 26%

All Academic Staff with PhD or Masters qualification 86%

No. No.

Irish Patents Applications 5) 8 Licence agreements for development

Spin offs/Campus Companies for development Publications index for development

Invention Disclosures for development Citations index for development

STUDENT NUMBERS

Entrants Graduates

32%

PROGRESSION

STAFF & FINANCIAL DATA

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

Enrolments

DISCIPLINARY MIX

Full-time Undergraduate New Entrants Full and Part-time PhDs

STUDENT PROFILE

(% of Enrolments) (% of New Entrants)

Estimate: Entrants from Non-Manual, Semi-

and Unskilled Backgrounds (EAS)4) 1,477

Institutional Profile Munster Technological University (MTU) 2015/16


Page 21 of 23

Appendix B – MTU and Munster

MTU Campuses distributed across the Province of Munster


Page 22 of 23

MTU student catchment according to HEA 2010/11 data for CIT, IT Tralee and LIT


Page 23 of 23

CSO Regional Economic Data 2009 (published January 2012)Error! Bookmark not

defined.

GVA Population Persons at

work

GVA Population Persons

at work

Region (€m) (000) (000) (% ) (% ) (%)

Border, Midland and

Western 27,183 1,204 497 18.7 27.0 25.6

Border 11,252 502 195 7.8 11.3 10.0

Midland 5,709 271 109 3.9 6.1 5.6

West 10,223 431 193 7.1 9.7 10.0

Southern and Eastern 117,803 3,256 1,442 81.3 73.0 74.4

Dublin 58,119 1,212 562 40.1 27.2 29.0

Mid East 12,507 526 236 8.6 11.8 12.2

Dublin plus Mid East 70,626 1,737 798 48.7 39.0 41.2

Mid West 10,296 374 157 7.1 8.4 8.1

South East 11,023 497 203 7.6 11.1 10.5

South West 25,857 648 284 17.8 14.5 14.6

State 144,986 4,460 1,938 100.0 100.0 100.0

MTU Region *

(South West + Mid West) 36,153 1022 441 24.9 22.9 22.7

* MTU Region defined as South West (Kerry, Cork) and Mid West (Limerick, Clare, North Tipperary).

South Tipperary would also be a significant part of the MTU region and catchment but it was not

possible to extract this from the published data because South Tipperary data is embedded in the

data presented for the South East region.

Note: GVA = Gross Value Added - GDP and GVA are the same concept i.e. they measure the value of

the goods and services (or part thereof) which are produced within a region or country. GDP is

valued at market prices and hence includes taxes charged and excludes the value of subsidies

provided. GVA at basic prices on the other hand excludes product taxes and includes product

subsidies.

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