Ministers McHugh and Mitchell O’Connor allocate €23 million in funding under the new Higher Education Innovation and Transformation Fund
- Foilsithe: 8 Feabhra 2019
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 9 Meán Fómhair 2019
The Minister for Education and Skills, Joe McHugh TD, and Minister for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD, today announced that 22 projects across 23 educational institutions have been awarded a total of €23 million under the new Innovation and Transformation Fund.
The fund was launched in 2018 as part of the modernisation and reform of the funding model for higher education.
It is also part of the €250 million additional investment by the government in higher education since 2016, bringing total funding to more than €1.7 billion.
The 22 successful projects embody collaboration and innovation across the higher education sector and focus on transformation.
Minister McHugh said:
“This €23 million fund is being used to reward and support higher education institutions that are coming up with innovative ideas to attract people to third level and those that are doing more to create flexible options for learning."
“The government has recognised we need to do more to open up third level education and now we are backing that cause by providing millions in funding for the right initiatives.”
The 22 funded proposals include partnerships amongst the eight universities, ten institutes of technology, two specialist colleges, one Further Education College and five other state and non-state bodies.
Some of the projects will see third level institutions partnering with organisations such as An Cosán, Family Carers Ireland and the Disability Federation of Ireland to learn and adopt better ways of ensuring education is open to as many people as possible.
Some projects will focus on developing digital systems to enable more flexible learning, including through online options and simulation training.
Other projects are focusing on student mental health, supporting entrepreneurs and start-ups, student retention, leadership and preparing students for the working world.
Mr McHugh added:
“These Government-supported initiatives will create new opportunities and help to position Ireland’s education system as a leader in inclusiveness, diversity and flexible models of education and lifelong learning.”
The Innovation and Transformation Fund opened with a call for proposals by the Higher Education Authority in 2018. Applications were assessed by an independent panel.
Minister Mitchell O’Connor said:
“Innovation and discovery is what our higher education institutions do best – and this fund will enable them to invest in new ideas to improve students’ experiences, enhance student learning and harness technology and new thinking for the benefit of our current and future students."
“The fund will support a range of projects focused on developing new pathways and methods of teaching to support the participation of students from a diverse range of backgrounds. They will help students to develop individually, address student retention and support enhanced progression of students across higher education institutions. It is a real investment in our education system and in our students."
“I welcome the collaborative approach taken by institutions. The funding being announced today is part of an overall package of measures taken in recent budgets which means that investment in higher education has increased since 2016 by more than €250 million or 17% to more than €1.7 billion.”
ENDS
Notes to the Editor:
Funding
The funding commitment for the 22 proposals is €23.3m which will be allocated on a multi annual basis up to 2021.
Project Details
Details of the 22 successful projects are set out below:
Innovation and Transformation Call Funded Proposals 2018
| HEI Lead | Collaborative Partners | Proposal Title | Category | Area | Indicative Award Value |
| Cork Institute of Technology | Institute of Technology Tralee | Creating Entrepreneurial Students & Graduates | Teaching and student learning outcomes | Entrepreneurial skills in graduates | €987,805 |
| Dublin City University | DCU Global Online Learning Accelerator | Flexible, distance and e-learning | Develop and implement a learning design architecture for accredited awards based on staking micro-creditals | €1,359,084 | |
| Dublin City University | Leadership & Life Skills Centre | Teaching and student learning outcomes | Create a model of student engagement and development for each individual student | €705,000 | |
| Dublin Institute of Technology | Institute of Technology Blanchardstown, Institute of Technology Tallaght | Enhancing Student Retention across TU Dublin | Retention and progression | Real-time data analytics to improve retention | €498,088 |
| Dundalk Institute of Technology | The gateway to success: A virtual hub to support all learners | Flexible, distance and e-learning | Develop and implement a strategy and framework for providing virtual student support | €321,014 | |
| Institute of Technology Blanchardstown | Dublin Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Tallaght | Transformative Student-Centred Learning Record (Acronym: Transform-EDU) | Teaching and student learning outcomes | Establishing linkages between teaching and learning, engagement, resources and infrastructure | €1,389,961 |
| Institute of Technology Carlow | An Cosan Virtual Community College | Higher Education Pathway for Non-Traditional Learners. Flexible, Blended Learning, Competence and Community Education Based | Flexible, distance and e-learning | Develop pathway for mature students from socio-economic disadvantage | €355,269 |
| Institute of Technology Sligo | Mayo Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board, Disability Federation of Ireland, Family Carers Ireland | Full-time degree programmes accessible via online/blended learning | Flexible, distance and e-learning | Provide online/blended degree programmes for students who are unable to be on-campus due to location, disability, etc | €543,060 |
| Irish Universities Association | Dublin City University, Maynooth University, National University of Ireland Galway, Trinity College Dublin, University College Cork, University College Dublin, University of Limerick | Enabling Change: Enhancing Digital Capacity in Teaching and Learning in Irish Universities | Teaching and student learning outcomes | Staff development programme to enhance the digital confidence, skills and competencies of University lecturers | €2,964,381 |
| Letterkenny Institute of Technology | Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, Sligo Institute of Technology, Letterkenny Institute of Technology | Innovative Opportunities Transforming Education (iNOTE) Project - Building digital capability for flexible learning delivery in the West/North West Region | Flexible, distance and e-learning | Building digital capability for flexible learning delivery in the West/North West Region | €2,844,000 |
| Maynooth University | Maynooth University ICT and STEM enhancement | Teaching and student learning outcomes | Additional supports for activities in ICT and Maths | €563,610 | |
| Maynooth University | Future Ready: Increasing Employability and Accessibility Through Curriculum Innovation | Teaching and student learning outcomes | Enhance employability of graduates | €1,445,440 | |
| Maynooth University | Mi-Lab - The Maynooth University Innovation Lab | Teaching and student learning outcomes | Innovation worship to tackle challenges faced by HE | €810,950 | |
| Royal College of Surgeons Ireland | Establishing a 'Centre for Simulation Education and Research' in Ireland | Flexible, distance and e-learning | Simulation based learning | €1,228,113 | |
| Trinity College Dublin | University College Dublin, Athlone Institute of Technology | Student Support Services’ Retention and Engagement Strategy: Consolidation of Best Practice, Centralisation of Data and Innovation in Student Experience | Retention and progression | Student support services to address mental health issues | €1,574,655 |
| University College Cork | Supporting Student Transitions to develop distinctive graduate attributes | Retention and progression | Deliver a suite of transition modules | €936,974 | |
| University College Dublin | UCD LEAP (Live Engagement & Attendance Project) | Retention and progression | Use of data analytics to assist universities to understand factors contributing to retention and progression | €295,000 | |
| University of Limerick | Limerick City and County Council | HEI MEITHEAL UL | Teaching and student learning outcomes | New framework for civic engagement | €1,426,008 |
| University of Limerick | Mary Immaculate College Limerick, Limerick Institute of Technology | REAP – Regional Enterprise-Academic Partnership, Building capacity by engaging practitioners in designing and delivering online and blended learning | Flexible, distance and e-learning | Building capacity by engaging practitioners in designing and delivering online and blended learning | €1,412,970 |
| University College Cork | Trinity College Dublin | Collaboratively developing, implementing and mainstreaming a quality-assured, blended learning environment for the new integrated MPharm (COMBINE) | Teaching and student learning outcomes | Developing new integrated MPharm course | €758,901 |
| Waterford Institute of Technology | Engaging with RPL for Lifelong Learning | Recognition of Prior Learning | Create online RPL portal that will target and facilitate adult learners | €470,198 | |
| Waterford Institute of Technology | Student Transition - Promoting Opportunities for Student Success | Retention and progression | Expand existing initiatives supporting transition and progression | €397,464 |