Application for Designation as a Technological University | 1 Application for Designation as a Technological University May 2021 List of Tables List of Figures Table No. Title of Table Figures No. Title of Figures Table 1.1 Economic Impact of the CUA Partner Institutes Figure 1.1 The CUA Institutes at a Glance Table 2.1 Proposed Membership of Joint CUA Academic Council Sub-committee Figure 1.2 Counties of the CUA Region Table 4.1 Combined CUA TU Profile 2020 / 2021 Figure 1.3 Census 2016 Data for Western Region – Western Development Commission (2016) Table 4.2 CUA Programme profile by NFQ level, award type and enrolments 2020 / 2021 Figure 1.4 Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) Regions Table 4.3 CUA Postgraduate Programme profile and enrolments 2020 / 2021 Figure 1.5 Our CUA Multi-Campus Operation Table 4.4 CUA Programme profile Field of Study 2020 / 2021 Figure 2.1 Proposed University Executive Board Table 4.5 2019/20. 2020/21 and 3- & 5-Year projected student numbers by programme type Figure 2.2 Distributed Leadership Model Table 4.6 HCI Pillar 3 Collaborative Projects with External Partners Figure 4.1 CUA Programme summary by NFQ level Table 5.1 Range of Delegated Authority in CUA Institutes Figure 4.2 CUA Programme offering by discipline Table 5.2 Innovation Centre Supports for Companies along the ‘Entrepreneurial Journey’ Figure 4.3 CUA Apprenticeship Programme Enrolments by Discipline and Level 2020 / 2021 Table 5.3 Innovation Centre Performance Figure 4.4 Accreditation by professional bodies Table 5.4 The Performance of CUA Technology Gateway Centres 2017-2020/2021 Figure 4.5 Mean deprivation index score for enrolments in Irish HEIs 2018 / 2019 Table 5.5 The Sectoral Breakdown of CUA Technology Gateway Projects 2018-2020 Figure 4.6 Full-time Undergraduate Enrolments by Field of Study, 2020/2021 (National HE 2018/2019) Table 5.6 The CUA Regional Development Clusters Aligned with the Technology Gateways Figure 4.7 Part-time Undergraduate Enrolments by Field of Study, 2020/2021 (National HE 2018/2019) Table 5.7 THE EU NUTS2 Categorisation and Ranking of the Northern and Western Region of Ireland Figure 4.8 Graduates by Programme Level Table 6.1 Overview of WG4 and aligned sub-groups Figure 4.9 Graduates by Field of Study Table 7.1 CUA consolidated financial budget to 2023/24 Figure 4.10 CUA Student Success Model Table 7.2 CUA consolidated student numbers to 2023/24 Figure 4.11 CUA Teaching Learning & Assessment Principles Table 7.3 CUA consolidated staff numbers to 2024 Figure 4.12 Internationalisation Strategy Framework Table 7.4 CUA consolidated financial summary to 2023/24 Figure 5.1 Current Postgraduate Research Degree Students – Countries of Origin Table 7.5 CUA consolidated capital expenditure to 2024 Figure 5.2 Sustainable Energy Communities Supported by CUA Colleges Table 7.6 CUA reserve balances from 2017/18 to 2023/24 Table 7.7 TUTF work packages List of Abbreviations Abbreviation Title of Abbreviation LYIT Letterkenny Institute of Technology MAPP Multi-Annual Procurement Plan Abbreviation Title of Abbreviation MET Medical and Engineering Technologies Research Centre AIQR Annual Institutional Quality Review MFRC Marine & Freshwater Research Centre Applied IoT Applied Internet of Things MMRG Mathematical Modelling Research Group BAN Body Area Networks MRG Mobilities Research Group BRING Business Research Innovation Network Group NFQ National Framework for Qualification CASE Connect, Assess, Support, Encourage NGOs Non-Governmental Organisations CELT Centre for Enhancement of Learning and Teaching NStEP National Student Engagement Programme CERIS The Centre for Environmental Research, Innovation and Sustainability NUIG National University of Ireland, Galway CHANCE Clinical Health & Nutrition Group NUTS Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics CHAT Cellular Health & Toxicology Research Group NWRC North West Regional College CPD Continuing Professional Development PATH Programme for Access to Higher Education CRiSP The Centre for Research in Social Professions PEM Precision Engineering, Materials and Manufacturing Centre CRU Contract Research Unit PG Postgraduate CSF Competitive Start Fund (Enterprise Ireland) PMSS Professional Management Support Services CUA Connacht-Ulster Alliance PPE Periodic Programme Evaluation DA Delegated Authority PRTC Postgraduate Research Training Centre DAB Designated Awarding Body QA Quality Assurance DACS The Data Analytics & Computer Science Group QIP Quality Improvement Plan DICE Design, Innovation Creativity, Entrepreneurship QQI Quality & Qualifications Ireland DMFC Digital, Manufacturing Futures Centre QUB Queen’s University Belfast DPER Department of Public Expenditure and Reform R&D Research & Development EDI Equality, Diversity & Inclusion RCF Researcher Career Framework EI Enterprise Ireland RD&I Research, Development & Innovation EMD Engineering, Materials & Design RIE Research, Innovation & Engagement ETB Education and Training Board RPL Recognition of Prior Learning FDI Foreign Direct Investment RTC Regional Technical College FE Further Education SBIR Small Business Innovation Research (Enterprise Ireland) FET Further Education and Training SEAI Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland GMIT Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology SEARC The Sustainable Energy Applied Research Centre GVA Gross Value Added SECs Sustainable Energy Communities HBAN Halo Business Angel Network SFI Science Foundation Ireland HCI Human Capital Initiative SIPTU Services Industrial, Professional and Technical Union HE Higher Education SME Small & Medium Sized Enterprises HEA Higher Education Authority SPA Special Purpose Award HEI Higher Education Institution STEM Science Technology Engineering and Maths HOF Head of Faculty SWTDE Sustainable Wood Technologies, Design & Education Group HOS Head of School T&L Teaching and Learning HPSU High Potential Start-Ups THEA Technological Higher Education Association HR Human Resources THEQF Technological Higher Education Quality Framework HRG Heritage Research Group TTO Technology Transfer Office IBYE Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur TU Technological University INDEx Irish National Digital Experience Survey TUI Teachers Union of Ireland IoT Institute of Technology TURN Technological University Research Network IR Institutional Review TUTF Technological University Transformation Fund ISCED International Standard Classification of Education UDL Universal Design for Learning iSET Integrated Sustainable Energy Research Group UG Undergraduate ITS IT Sligo VPAAR Vice President for Finance and Corporate Services KTI Knowledge Transfer Ireland VPFCS Vice President for Academic Affairs and Registrar LEO Local Enterprise Office WDC Western Development Commission LL Lifelong Learning WiSAR Wireless Applied Research Centre LTA Learning Teaching and Assessment Contents Foreword A Technological University for the West 1 Local Economic Impact 23 and North-West Region Distribution and Consolidation of Academic Capacity 23 Innovative and Impactful Programme Development 23 Staffing 23 Executive Summary 3 Quality Enhancement 23 The Context of the CUA TU Application 3 Enhanced National and International Competitiveness 23 The CUA TU Project 3 Overview of the New TU 4 The Academic Profile of the New TU 5 Chapter 2 Overview of the New Technological University 25 Research, Innovation and Engagement in the New TU 5 2.1 The New Technological University 27 The Support Infrastructure for the New TU 6 Our Vision 27 Financial Sustainability and the New TU 7 Our Mission 27 Achieving the Criteria for TU Designation 7 Strategic Pillars 27 Conclusion 7 Values 27 The Plan to get there 27 Submission Overview 8 2.2 Transition Organisation Principles and Structure 28 Chapter 1 The Context of the CUA Technological University application 9 Options for Faculty Structures 31 CUA Joint Governing Body Sub-committee 31 1.1 The Changing Irish Higher Education Landscape 11 CUA Joint Academic Council Sub-committee 31 1.2 Introducing the Connacht Ulster Alliance 12 2.3 Naming and Branding of the New Technological University 32 The CUA Institutes 12 Statistical Overview of the CUA 13 Chapter 3 The CUA Technological University Project 33 1.3 The Region 17 3.1 Key Stages in the Evolution of the Consortium and the 35 Regional Profile 17 Development of the Project Plan Level of Higher Education Attainment 19 3.2 Project Governance and Management 38 1.4 Rationale for the New TU 21 3.3 Engaging the Contributions of Internal and External Stakeholders 39 External Support for the TU 23 3.4 Engagement with Staff and Unions 39 New Synergies 23 Enhanced Regional Service on a Broader Collaborative Basis 23 Contents 3.5 Due Diligence 40 4.9 Lifelong Learning 68 3.6 Evidence of Connacht Ulster Alliance Acting as One 42 A Vision for Serving Employers and Lifelong Learners in the New TU 68 Library Services 69 Chapter 4 The Academic Profile of the New Technological University 47 4.10 Internationalisation of Education and Research 70 Internationalisation Strategy Framework 70 4.1 CUA Profile (Programme Type and Student Mix) 2020/2021 49 Programme Profile offered at the CUA TU 52 Chapter 5 Research, Innovation and Engagement in the 71 Research Programmes 55 New Technological University Apprenticeship Programmes 56 5.1 Introduction 73 Programmes in Direct Response to Immediate Industry Needs 56 Professional Accreditation of Programmes 57 5.2 The Development of Technological Higher Education RIE Activities 74 in the CUA Institutes in the Northern and Western Region 4.2 Student Profile of the CUA 57