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Over 40 students from DkIT along with DkIT President Denis Cummins and Sports and Societies Officer Diarmuid Cahill attended Chinese New Year celebrations last Monday evening, which were hosted in UCD . See page 7

FIRST GROUP OF DkIT PUBLIC RELATIONS STUDENTS ENTER THE PR INDUSTRY This month, the first group of third-year PR degree students from Dundalk Institute of Technology start their work placements within the Irish PR industry..Students have been placed for five months’ invaluable hands-on experience in some of Ireland’s top PR consultancies. Read more page 4 Chinese Universities visit Dundalk Institute of Technology

In early December, Dundalk Institute of Technology welcomed two delegations from Chinese Universities, Beijing Union University (BUU) and Hebei Normal University (HNU)

On Wednesday 3rd of December a delegation of five staff lead by the University President Mr Li Yin from Beijing Union University (BUU) visited DkIT. They discussed a cooperation plan with DkIT Head of School Business and Humanities, Mr. Cathal Kearney and Head of Dept of Hospitality Studies, Ms. Brianain Erraught. DkIT and BUU currently have an articulation agreement in place and receive one to two students per year into our Hospitality Management Programme. They agreed that some staff and students academic programmes, including exchanges, could be added to the current articulation agreement.

BUU teachers met with their former students currently registered at DkIT, were surprised with how their former students have changed, and were most delighted with their performance at DkIT.

The group visited Carlingford in the afternoon and while the weather was cold, they enjoyed the beautiful scenery, castles and, the Sea air.

Above left: BUU President Mr Li Yin. With Cathal Kearney.

Above right: BUU visitors with their formal students registered in DKIT now.

On Wednesday 10th of December, representatives of Hebei Normal University (HNU) visited Dundalk Institute of Technology. Vice President Mr. Wang Changhua, Mr Zhao Jinguang , Dean of International Cultural Exchange, and Ms Yuan Haiyan, Manager of He- bei International Affairs. The group was accompanied by Mr. James Wang from EBI, DkIT’s most prolific agent in China.

HNU have been sending students to DkIT for a number of years from their foundation and undergraduate programmes. They enjoyed their tour around the DkIT campus, caught up with their former students and met with DkIT President Mr. Denis Cummins, as well as H.O.S Mr. Cathal Kearney and Registrar Mr. Stephen McManus.DkIT president Denis Cummins and HNU Vice president signed a MOU for both academic institutions develop further cooperation. Above and right: Hebei Normal University Vice President Mr. Wang Changhua Sign MOU with DkIT President

Left: Hebei Normal University visitors from left to right , Dean of International Cultural Exchange Mr Zhao Jinguang, DkIT international office Michael Stewart, President Denis Cummins, Hebei Normal University president Mr Wang Changhua and Mr. James Wang from EBI, DkIT’s most prolific agent in China

Right: Hebei Normal University group go to visit Carlingford with International Office Staff Michael Spewart & Janet Zhang)

FIRST GROUP OF DkIT PUBLIC RELATIONS STUDENTS ENTER THE PR INDUSTRY January 27th, 2009 - This month, the first group of third-year PR degree students from Dundalk Institute of Technology start their work placements within

the Irish PR industry.

Students have been placed for five months’ invaluable hands-on experience in some of Ireland’s top PR consultancies, including O’Herlihy Communications, Pembroke Communications, Hill & Knowlton, Unique Media, Plunkett Communica- tions, The Communications

Clinic, Elevate PR, Thinkhouse PR, Kate Bowe PR and Buckeridge PR and Event Management.

Michael O’Keeffe, deputy managing director of Pembroke Communications said, “It is good to see this calibre of student coming from DkIT, and it’s important to us that the degree is providing a good grounding in business and multimedia subjects as well as Public Rela- tions. We can now help to complete that training by enabling students to see the practical side of working in the PR industry and to work alongside our own staff on a variety of clients. It is essential that PR agencies assist these students to give them a clear understanding of the industry so they can better understand what will be required in their careers.”

Students have also been accepted to ‘in-house’ placements in organisations such as the Simon Community. “In our organisation we are largely dependent on support from the public, and so we are constantly working to create and maintain awareness of our services throughout the country,” commented Patrick Burke, CEO of the Simon Community. “We are very pleased to have skilled, enthusiastic students work with us to achieve our communication goals .”

DkIT’s BA in Public Relations Degree is a four-year programme, incorporating four strands - Public Relations, Business, Communication & Society, and Multimedia. For more information on this programme, please visit www.dkit.ie.

Further information: Paula Reilly Dundalk Institute of Technology [email protected] 087-6602535

Note: The Simon Communities of Ireland is an affiliation of local Communities in Cork, Dublin, Dundalk, Galway, the Midlands, the South East, the North West and the Mid West. Simon delivered support and services to almost 5,000 individuals and families who experience - or at risk of - homelessness in 2007. In addition, the National Office per- forms a coordinating role in terms of campaigning in the areas of housing/homeless policy and the wider poverty and social inclusion agenda; best practice in service delivery and working with people who are homeless; and in the area of full time volunteering promoting excellence and providing accredited training. PeterPeter RiceRice –– AA DundalkDundalk ManMan onon thethe WorldWorld StageStage A seminal talk on one of Dundalk’s famous sons, Peter Rice was delivered by Professor Philip O’Kane of UCC on Thursday night last at DKIT. He regarded it as an ‘honour to speak in Dundalk’. One of Peter’s class mates who attended the talk described Peter Rice and the famous Arctic explorer, Leopold McClintock (1819- 1907) as the two great figures from the town. Peter was awarded the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Gold Medal for Architecture in 1992 thus ensuring his recognition as one of the greatest engineers of the second half of the last century.

Peter Rice is well known for his work at the Sydney Opera House where he was site engineer. Some of the buildings associated Rice include the Sydney Opera House (1957), the Crucible Theatre (1967), the Super Grimentz Ski Village (1970) Switzer- land, the Conference Centre (1971) Mecca, the Georges Pom- pidou Centre (Paris in 1971-77) and the Lloyd’s building in London . During the talk, Professor O’Kane showed some BBC footage where Peter Rice explained that had he been around ten years previously the computer analysis would not have been possible. The ‘poetics of technology’ enabled the ‘transforming of concept into concrete’. Rice was always exploring something new and wanted to understand how something worked.

Professor O’Kane pointed out that Paris is the place with the most Rice buildings. In 1971 Peter was part of the winning team competing in the French government's competition for the centre of Paris (The Pompidou Centre). One of O’ Kane’s favourite Rice buildings is the cathedral at Lille dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It is an imposing homogenous structure, begun as a basilica in 1854, building was interrupted by wars and financial constraints and completed in 1999. The central marble section is supported by steel wires is an impressive sight, particularly when viewed from inside or at night, when it is revealed as resembling a pink translucent veil known as ‘the Veil of Veronica’

Peter received his RIBA Gold Medal in 1992 and fellow County Louth man, Michael Scott (1905-89) is the only other Irishman to be awarded the medal. Scott with Ronnie Tallon and Robin Walker were the architects of the Carroll’s Factory, marking another Dundalk connection. Professor O’Kane has muted the idea of bringing a Rice building to Ireland. Along with Professor Adrian Long at Queen’s University in Belfast they have written to President McAleese about the idea. The building they have in mind is the Pavilion of the Future built for the Seville Expo of 1992. Some of Peter’s cousins were present at the talk. Peter Rice was born on 16 January 1935 and was reared at 52 Castle Road and went to school at the CBS before going on to Newbridge to complete his secondary education. His father was James Rice who was Principal at Chapel Road and his mother Maureen (Quinn) also taught at Chapel Street. Peter died on 25 October 1992 in London. His sister Kitty lives in Canada and his brother Maurice in Zurich. His son Kieran now leads the engineering firm, RFR in Paris. On various websites there seems to be some confusion as to Rice’s place of birth ranging from Ulster, Britain, Dublin and Dundalk. He was born in a hospital in Dublin and reared in Dundalk. The family rented a house in St Mary’s Road for a brief period before moving to 52 Castle Road where Peter and his brother and sister grew up. A photo from yesteryear of staff from DKIT from the early seventies. Can any one name all ten and identify the location?

SURVEY

Have you used moodle? If so please take part in the moodle survey. It will only take a minute.

The closing date for the survey is Monday 2nd Feb at 5pm.

Here is the link. Copy and paste it into your browser. http://tinyurl.com/dfanta

Deadline Extended Deadline Extended Deadline Extended Chinese Spring Festival Gala of Ireland

Over 40 students from DkIT along with DkIT President Denis Cummins and Sports and Societies Officer Diarmuid Cahill attended Chinese New Year celebrations last Monday evening, which were hosted in UCD.

The now annual Chinese Spring Festival Gala of Ireland was attended by over 1000 people from various colleges throughout Ireland. The night was a wonderful concert of Chinese Culture.

A number of DkIT Students were involved in helping to organise the event, while DkIT Students Zhang Ju, Paul Campbell, Paul McCourt, Gavin Campbell and Alan Kavanagh performed on the night singing Snow Patrols Song "Run". Feature.

Communities In Action

Ardee Business Park is a community owned company (Ardee Community Development Company Ltd), which was established in 1998. The aim was to actively address social and economic concerns and to put in place commer- cial workspace and training measures to support local and new enterprises.

Phase 1 of the Business Park was completed in 2000. 2005 saw the completion of the exciting Phase II of the park’s development. This phase consisted of the development of an additional 1060m2 of high quality office/ IT space over a three-floor extension to the current office block.

Recently, the IT suite was updated with new computers and as a result the management committee of Ardee Community Development Company Ltd decided to donate these computers to the local schools in the area. The school receiving computers are Scoil Mhuire na Trocaire, Ardee; Monastery Boys National School, Ardee and Educate Together, Ardee .

The schools were most appreciative for the of the kind gesture. Mr. Jim Malone, Vice- Chairman of Ardee Community Development Company Ltd said “how extremely happy we are to be able to make this donation” and hoped that the computers would be helpful to the students. Students and teachers from all three schools attended a presentation in Ardee Business Park on Friday, January 23 rd .

ÀÀ LaLa FrançaiseFrançaise A new exciting initiative is taking place this semester. The BSL7 and Cultural Studies 2 students of French are organising and funding a séjour to IUT Le Havre, our European partner college. Students are giving a power point presentation in French on DKIT and the local region at IUT Le Havre on the 24th of March, 2009. The organisation and funding of the trip plus the presentation will form a part of Semester 2 Continuous assessment.

BS 1 and Cultural Studies 1 students of French are also accompanying the second years on this trip. Although the trip is not part of their CA they are willing collaborators! Not only will this experience improve our French skills but it is also a valid learning activity in funding and organisation skills and will continue to strengthen our links with IUT Le Havre. It is hoped that this will become an integral part of studying French in DKIT as it is a valid educational life experience.

One of the first fundraisers will be a rag week raffle on Tuesday, 10th of February. Watch out for the organisers who will be selling tickets at all rag events that day. Prizes will include crates of beer! Tickets are 1Euro and all proceeds go towards the financing of our trip. All your support will be greatly appreciated. Merci à tous.

Department of Learning and Teaching Timetable of Training Events January - March 2009.

Training Event Dates Time Venue

Strategies for Implementing E-Learning Wednesday 3pm – Slievefoye 5pm By Dr. Catherine Bruen, National Digital Learning Re- Jan 28th, Room pository, TCD 2009 Assessment Through Moodle Wednesday 3pm – Slievefoye 5pm Room By Dr Mark Glynn, IOTI Feb 4 th , 2009 Effective Student- centred Research Su- Friday 3pm – Slievefoye 5pm Room pervision Feb 6th, 2009 By John Dalat Reviewing Literature: Strategies to De- Wednesday 3pm – Slievefoye 5pm Room velop Student Critique. By John Dallat Feb 18 th , 2009 Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple In- Wednesday 3pm – Slievefoye telligences: Implications for Student- 5pm Room Feb 25 th , Centred Teaching 2009

By Bobby McCormack, DkIT (Note change of date from Feb 11 th ) Large Group Teaching and Active Student Wednes- 3pm – Board- day 5pm room Learning Mar 11 th , By John Dallat 2009 Small Group Teaching: the Dynamics of Wednesday 3pm – Slievefoye 5pm Room Effective Student Engagement. By John Dal- Mar 18 th , lat 2009

Problem Based Learning TBA

By Tony Lennon and John Walters Moodle Training 1 & 2 TBA By Brendan Ryder

To reserve a place on any of above events please contact [email protected] .

Attention Students ! Your newspaper needs YOU!

STUDENT WRITING COMPETITION

DkITimes wants more students to get involved this year in writing for your campus newspaper and as a new year incentive we are running a writing competition.

Felda Leisure Centre are sponsoring prizes for the winning male and female students.

The prize includes; * 8 weeks free gym membership in Felda * Free detox products before commencing the programme * Before and after health spa treatments * Hair and makeup makeover

Two winners will be chosen, one male and one female.

To enter all you have to do is finish this article in no more than 500 words. ‘The day I arrived in DkIT, I had no idea......

Using prose, poetry or song as you see fit and send your files to editor @dkit.ie to reach us by February 1st at the latest. Deadline extended !

We hope to publish a selection of the entries in the DkiTimes over the coming months, giving as many students as possible a chance to share their hopes, dreams, fears, experiences, perspectives and opinions with readers.

So get writing and GOOD LUCK! Felda Health, Fitness and Spa, Dublin Rd., Blackrock, Co Louth 042 9321860

Wednesday 18th of February, 1pm - 6pm RDS, Dublin

With the current economic climate, more and more students are planning for their future and opting to continue their education into 4th level, ie postgraduate study.

If you are thinking about postgraduate studies and wondering what your options are, why not avail of the free bus from DkIT to Ireland's largest postgraduate fair.

Visit the official national postgraduate study event for students and graduates in Ireland north and south recommended by your careers service. There will be hundreds of postgraduate courses and research opportunities.

There are over 100 exhibitors from across Ireland, Northern Ireland and overseas, and a talks programme including seminars on studying, funding and applications, and how to decide what type of postgraduate course is right for you.

For more information and to register visit www.postgradireland.com/fair

To book your free travel to and from the fair from DkIT, fill in your details on the booking form at the Careers Information Desk in the library before Friday 6th February.

*CV Drop in Sessions For DkIT students!*

CV drop in sessions will take place over the coming weeks at key locations throughout the Institute. Visit our website www.dkit.ie/careers under news and events for further information over the next few weeks and avail of this free service for DkIT students. All you need to do is to bring your CV along and avail of the careers service teams useful tips and advice!

Careers and Appointments Office,

Library Building, Dundalk Institute of Technology,

Dublin Road, Dundalk. email: [email protected] ph: 353 429381700 or 353 429370399 fax:353 429333505, web: www.dkit.ie/careers

DKIT Careers and Appointments Office offers careers information in good faith to DKIT students and graduates. We regret that we cannot warrant the accuracy of third party information. Users of this information service have full responsibility for any decisions made subsequently

Careers Service at DkIT -Job Vacancies

The following job vacancies were recently submitted by employers interested in recruiting suitable DkIT graduates for the various positions as detailed below. If you are an employer interested in recruiting a DkIT student or graduate see the section on 'Services for Employers' where you can submit a vacancy - alternatively email [email protected] )

Students and Alumni wishing to receive job vacancy notifications via email should click here to subscribe to the email list.

Employment of International Graduates in Ireland: Guidelines for Employers and International Students This information leaflet will be of interest to non-EEA graduates of Irish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) who may be exploring the possibility of staying on in Ireland to work for some time after their stud- ies. The leaflet will also be of relevance to Irish based employers who wish to understand the different schemes that allow for the employment of non-EEA graduates.

PhD Research Opportunity in Sustainable Production Models for SMEs FutureSME is a 4-year, 26-partner project, led by the University of Strathclyde, which aims to develop new business models and tools to support the development of SMEs in the EU. GMIT is one of the pri- mary partners. The primary objective of FutureSME is to develop a new practical business and manufac- turing model for SMEs in Europe, which will enable them to compete successfully at a national, European and global level. A senior researcher will also be working on the team.

SURF BioNET UREKA 2009 The NCBES at NUI, Galway announce that the SURF BioNET UREKA 2009 Programme will welcome its fifth cohort of students and applications. All information regarding the programme, student eligibility, pro- ject information and application procedure can be found on www.ncbes.ie/education/ureka.htm

Animation Careers Opportunities (Beijing) The Institute of Digital Design (IDD) provide high end animation training to students across China and has collaborations with leading universities including the Sheridan College in Canada. They are currently look- ing for graduates in 3D Animation to join their team . For further information visit www.digi-design.org or if you are interested and would like to discuss the opportunities further contact [email protected]

HR Officer Vacancy An indigenous Irish company are seeking to recruit a HR Officer for a permanent position based in Car- rickmacross, Co. Monaghan. If interested in applying email [email protected] or phone 01 6146147.

LIDL - District Manager The successful candidate will be provided with training and will then be given full responsibility for running a sales district of 4-6 stores. Closing date for Applications: Tuesday, 30th June 2009

SABIS - Would you like to teach in or around Dubai? The International Schools of Choueifat in UAE, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain provide Pre-K and K-12 students with a rigorous, college-preparatory education. Applications are invited from university graduates (2008-2009 inclusive) to teach: a) Kindergarten and Primary: English, Social Studies, Maths and Science b) Secondary English and Social Studies, Maths, Computer Studies. Closing date for Applications: Saturday, 31st January 2009 Closing date for Applications: Friday 20th February 2009

KPMG - Learning and Development 6 Month Graduate Placement Programme The successful candidate will undertake responsibility for the day to day administration of the training pro- gramme. This package includes a competitive base salary and a comprehensive programme of classroom training. Closing date for Applications: Friday 20th February 2009

Openet Telecom Sales Ltd. Graduate Programme 2009 Openet will be recruiting graduates in 2009. For further information to apply for the graduate opportunities available please visit www.openet.com or email [email protected] or phone 01 6204600. Closing Date of Application is Friday 13th of March 2009

Graduate Opportunities with Fusion The InterTradeIreland FUSION programme offers you the opportunity to manage new technology-based projects with some of the most progressive companies and academic institutions on the island.

IBEC Graduate Programme (eop) The Export Orientation Programme is Ireland’s longest-running and most successful graduate placement programme. The EOP allows Irish exporting companies to develop their international marketing and ex- port capacity and provides recent graduates of all disciplines with a valuable introduction to international business. The programme offers graduates a unique opportunity to develop practical skills and to gain hands-on experience in a fast-moving business environment.

Teaching Positions in China The Aston Language Centre located in Wuhu, China are looking for qualified individuals that have a strong command of the English Language and are looking for an exciting and rewarding experience in China. For further information email: [email protected] or website: www.astonedu.com

2009 Scholarships to Spain New 2009 ~Scholarship offers from the Spanish Department of Foreign Affairs and Co-operation to inter- national students has now been published amd may be consulted via internet at www.becasmae.es. Ap- plication forms for Summer 2009 and academic year 2009/2010 can be downloaded from the website also.

Smurfit Kappa Graduate Management Programme The closing date for applications for the Smurfit Kappa Graduate Management Programme is Friday 20th February 2009. For further information or brochures about this programme please contact [email protected] or telephone 01 409000 or visit their website: www.smurfitkappa.ie

Graduate Traineeship Programme 2009 The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) is offering a limited number of graduate traineeships during 2009. ICT positions are available at the Eurofound base in Loughlinstown, Dublin 18

Glanbia Graduate Programme 2009 At Glanbia, the graduate programme is structured to provide each individual with an opportunity to de- velop their capabilities on a number of assignments over a two year period. By taking the time to under- stand the type of experience you are looking for, we can tailor a placement that is unique to your specific strengths and qualifications. Do you have what we're looking for? Graduate disciplines required Engineering,IT ,Marketing,Accounting and Finance,Food Science,Nutritional Science,Business / Commerce,Agricultural Science Register now on www.gradireland.com 2009 Tesco Ireland Retail Graduate Programme In Ireland we have a team of nearly 13,500 people, over 100 stores, a sophisticated distribution network and a full range of support services. We spend over €1.5 billion a year with Irish Suppliers and are the largest buyer of Irish food in the world. But it’s not just about food. Our highest priority is to recruit and develop the best people to become part of our team. Tesco Ireland has won the prestigious GradIreland “Best Graduate Recruiter in Retail” Award for the past two years and we have our sights set on 2009. We are currently recruiting for graduates to join the March 2009 Tesco Ireland Retail Graduate Pro- gramme. Would you like to become part of our successful team?

GradIreland - Job notifications Get the most from gradireland.com – IT’S FREE! Find job offers, recruitment information and career advice especially tailored for graduates at Gradireland. The best online resource for graduate jobs. Register today and get: Job alerts by e-mail - The hottest immediate vacancies, work experience opportunities and graduate em- ployers matched to your preferences. Employer announcements by e-mail - The latest news, events and deadline updates from top graduate recruiters. Quick apply for jobs - Set up your profile, attach your CV and Set up your profile, attach your CV and hit 'quick apply' to make speedy applications to immediate graduate jobs. Monthly jobseeker newsletter - Timely tips and great careers advice direct to your inbox, from exploring careers to writing a first-rate CV.

DkIT Careers Awareness Week 16th Feb - 20th Feb 2009

LastLast Issue’sIssue’s CaptionCaption Competition.Competition.

“““Don't even think about throwing your shoe” Photograph: PA

Congrats to Megan Hughes.

And this week...... Captions to [email protected]