ENTREPRENEURSHIP &
EDUCATION
Developing industry
partnerships
NCAD is putting research, teaching and learning together
to create a vibrant educational programme as well as
opportunities to spin ideas out into viable companies.
F
Dr Patricia Mulcahy, President, Carlow Institute of Technology
Knowledge in action
Institute of Technology (IT) Carlow is playing a central
role in regional economic development, ensuring that an
environment for business in the South East is developed
focused on inward investment, innovation, exporting and
start-ups, according to its President Dr Patricia Mulcahy.
I
t is achieving this by following
this mission statement: “Engage
with society, learn through
engagement, challenge
through learning and lead through
innovation”.
“What we value most across
all strands of our mission is
collaboration and connectedness,”
says Mulcahy.
“We have strong collaborative
relationships with ICT organisations
ensuring that students acquire skills
currently needed by that sector.
For example, the local software
development wing of international
insurance company UNUM sponsors
the Software Development Centre at
the institute.”
A key part of IT Carlow’s
commitment is in providing the
knowledge-based skills needed
for development. Its lifelong
learning programme, for example,
accounts for 33pc of its learners and
98pc of those on the programme
are working in companies in its
catchment area. Dr Mulcahy made
innovation and research an absolute
priority when she took on the role
of President four years ago. Since
then there has been a threefold
increase in postgraduate learners
with 10pc of the total currently at
this level and under her leadership
the institute invested over €25m in
a capital development programme,
including a purpose-built research,
development and innovation
building, the Dargan Centre.
“Our approach is built around
knowledge in action and is focused
primarily on applied problemoriented research and technological
development and innovation with
direct social and economic impacts
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and public and private benefits,”
says Mulcahy.
“IT Carlow doctoral graduate Dr
XueMei Germaine is an excellent
example of knowledge in action. Her
spin-out company Microgen Biotech
is commercialising advanced
bioremediation technologies in
China working out of the institute.
“We are embedding enquirybased learning and research skills
across all programmes as a top
priority. This builds critical thinking
and an entrepreneurial mindset.
Increasingly our role is to produce
not just career-ready graduates
but also enterprise generating
graduates.”
Recent graduate Jack Gregan
epitomises IT Carlow’s ethos. He
developed a therapeutic horse
r Y[