Media Release
TAOISEACH LAUNCHES NEW CENTRE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION RESEARCH TO PROMOTE INTERNATIONALISATION OF EDUCATION
15th February 2018 – For Immediate Release
Today, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar visitedITB (Institute of Technology Blanchardstown) for the official launch of the Centre for Higher Education Research, Policy and Practice (CHERPP). The centre was established as the result of an international partnership between the Technological University for Dublin (TU4D) Partners (ITB, IT Tallaght and DIT) and the Canadian Higher Education Institutes - University of Ontario (UOIT) and Durham College. Located on the ITB campus grounds, the centrewill promote international and cross-cultural research on Higher Education by enabling academic staff from both countries to work on joint projects.
The Taoiseach met with Dr. Diarmuid O’Callaghan, ITB President, who provided an update of developments at the ITB campus, and Dr. Mary Meaney, TU4Dublin Programme Leader who discussed the future of the Technological University for Dublin. The event was also attended by Dr. Tim Mc Tiernan, Honorary Consul in Toronto, (former President and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology).
Dr. O’Callaghan said the launch of the research centre marked a significant development for the TechnologicalUniversity for Dublin partners and the Greater Blanchardstown Region.
He went on to say, ‘This morning we are marking the progress and impact of ITB in this region over the past 18 years and highlighting our ambition to transform with our partners, IT Tallaght and DIT into a Technological University for Dublin.’
‘I am convinced’, said Dr O’Callaghan,‘that the development of a Technological Universityfor Dublin with a significant presence in Blanchardstown, will be a critical resource for our students, the wider community and local industry. From my perspective, I consider the opportunity presented by designation as a TU to be the biggest opportunity of any of us working in Higher Education’.
Speaking at the event, the Taoiseach said“The Action Plan for Education 2018 sets the ambition to make Ireland’s education and training service the best in Europe by 2026. The challenge in the years ahead will be to invest and transform our higher education system so that it broadens career paths, embeds internationalisation into the curriculum, continues to break down cycles of disadvantage and embeds regional development. As we prepare to enact the Technological University bill, I look forward to seeing this campus here in Blanchardstown grow to align to regional and national priorities, incentivise lifelong learning, innovation and research and provide opportunities for a diverse cohort of learners, as part of the Technological University for Dublin.”
Simultaneously, the TU4D partnershave announced a partnership with the Centre for Universal Design at the National Disability Authority, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology and Durham College, who will host the Universal Design and Higher Education in Transformation Congress (UDHEIT2018), at Dublin Castle from 30th October to 2nd November2018. Thefour day event will bring key experts together from industry, education, government and non-government organisation sectors to share experiences and knowledge in design, diversity and education. The underpinning theme for the event is to transform our world through diversity, design and education
ITB is transforming into a Technological University thatis designed to support the social and economic development of Dublin. Developing ITB’s existing links with Canada will offer many more opportunities for rich international experiences for staff and students, both at homeand abroad.
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Editor’s Notes:
ABOUT ITB
ITB is located in Blanchardstown, a growing suburb of Dublin. Our modern 56-acre campus is situated in one of the key industrial, commercial, retail and pharmaceutical hubs in Ireland. With its state of the art facilities and recent 1-million-euro investment in our Food Production and Urban Horticulture facility, ITB has been pursuing its mission of making education accessible to a diversity of learners since 1999. Our focus is on a relevant, vibrant curriculum, innovative teaching and excellent student supports.
Since it was established, ITB has been firmly embedded within its Community. ITB offers a range of practice-based, career-focused programmes to over 3500 learners through our full-time, part-time and online programmes.
Following publication of the National Strategy for Higher Education in January 2011, a framework for reform within the Irish Higher Education landscape has been established. Included in that framework is a different type of university for Ireland – a Technological University. Three institutions in the Dublin region – ITB, DIT and ITT - have come together to explore the benefits of structured cooperation and collaboration and to jointly seek designation as a new unitary university, providing educational opportunities that are practice-based and research-informed.
ITB, DIT and ITT established a formal alliance in October 2011 and since then colleagues from the three institutions have been working together to develop a programme of work which will culminate in the submission of a joint application for designation as a Technological University.
Centre for Higher Education Research, Policy and Practice - Background
In line with and to address the four strategic priorities of The International Education Strategy for Ireland 2016-2020, the Technological University for Dublin Partners (ITB, ITT and DIT) have entered into a partnership with Canadian Higher Education Institutes - University of Ontario (UOIT) and Durham College to establish the Centre for Higher Education Research, Policy and Practice (CHERPP). This centre, based in ITB endeavours to promote international and cross-cultural research on Higher Education by enabling academic staff from both countries to work on joint projects and papers as outlined in the Action Plan for Education (2017). Canadian HE partners have been chosen as Canada has been identified multiple times as a high potential market for the recruitment of international students within the international education strategy -Irish Educated, Globally Connected. ITB has secured funding from the HEA for 33 members of staff to attend a five-day intensive research pairing event at our partner institutions in Canada resulting in a large amount measurable outputs in the form of papers, projects and conference presentations.
The centre promotes internationalisation of education and will facilitate international exchanges amongst its members, and develop its expertise to better understand and address the cultural, national and jurisdictional differences that exist in academic exchanges. Internationalisation of education also prepares academics to be active and engaged in an interconnected global world.
UDHEIT2018 – Background
ITB, in partnership with the National Disability Authority, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology and Durham College, will host the Universal Design and Higher Education in Transformation Congress (UDHEIT2018), which will be held at Dublin Castle, Ireland from 30 October to 2 November2018. This exciting four-day event will bring together key experts from industry, education, government and non- government organisation sectors to share experiences and knowledge with all participants. This congress aims to transform our world through celebrating and integrating all that is good in design, diversity and education.
The UDHEIT2018 Congress will be a partnership between Universal Design: a series of major biennial international conferences: UD2012 (Oslo), UD2014 (Lund), UD2016 (York) and the Higher Education in Transformation symposia: (HEIT) Conferences 2015 (Dublin) and 2016 (Oshawa).
The Congress aims to transform our world through celebrating and integrating all that is good in design, diversity and education. We will be sharing knowledge, experiences and ideas to build global connections and regional networks that will inspire and empower future developments in both universal design and higher education.