Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) and Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) have recently announced a strategic alliance that will result in improved educational opportunities for students. Dr. Maria Hinfelaar and Michael Carmody, the presidents of GMIT and LIT, signed the new agreement together with Des Mahon and Niall Green, the Chairmen, at a reception in GMIT.
The new alliance is based on the two IT’s strategic plans, regional and national skills & national policy and will connect the regional clusters of the West/North West and Mid-West into a multi-stakeholder regional cluster as visualised in the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030. It will be jointly managed by the Institute’s Presidents.
Carmody, the GMIT President said the alliance meant that both Institutes have committed to a programme of enhanced co-operation and development as well as the development of academic programmes, research programmes and staff development programmes. Hinfelaar, President of LIT said the alliance will enhance the development of the West/ North West Regional Clusters and that it aims to respond to Government policy decisions regarding the development of interaction along the Atlantic Corridor.
Limerick IT is the fourth largest IT in Ireland and has 500 staff members and over 6,000 full-time students. The Institute has five campuses and a learning centre across Limerick City, Tipperary and Clare, with the main campus located at Moylish Park. LIT offers courses from level 6 up to level 10 as well as adult and continuing education courses. In 2008 and 2013, LIT was awarded ‘Institute of Technology of the Year’ by The Sunday Times University Guide, a guide to higher education in Ireland and the UK.
GMIT has five campuses, the Galway campus is the largest of the five and is the Institute’s administrative headquarters. The other four campuses are located in Galway city, Mayo, Letterfrack and Mountbellew. The Institute is comprised of a College of Tourism and Arts, a Centre for Creative Arts and Media, a School of Business, a School Engineering, a School of Science, GMIT Letterfrack and GMIT Mayo. GMIT also provides adult education and lifelong learning courses.
Author: Fiona Mcbennett