Athlone IT announces strategic partnership with NUI Maynooth

The Presidents of Athlone IT and NUI Maynooth have today announced a new strategic partnership between their institutions.

A statement issued by AIT this morning said the agreement would 'facilitate collaboration in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes; student access and progression; research, commercialisation and entrepreneurship; and internationalisation.'

The institutions are currently exploring the possibility of offering joint programmes in biotechnology, sport and health science.

Today's statement said that the new formal partnership would build on the success of collaborative work between the institutions in recent years, and would lead to developments in complementary research areas such as biosciences and chemistry.

AIT and the University in Maynooth provide an extensive range of courses from levels 6-10 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).

In 2010/11 they accounted for 26% of the total numbers of students from counties Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, Offaly and Longford enrolled in higher education.

The institutions have an established record of collaboration specifically in relation to academic staff development, student access, and technology transfer, where the NUI Maynooth Commercialisation Office has established a partnership with AIT under the Enterprise Ireland National Technology Transfer Initiative.

President of Athlone Institute of Technology, Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin said: “We are developing this formal strategic partnership for the benefit of our students and the wider economic and social development of the Midland and Mid-east regions.

“Together we can enhance the current and future provision of education and opportunities for progression of our students. By collaborating on specialist areas of research we can enhance our collective expertise and achieve efficiencies within the educational system.”

Commenting on the partnership, President of NUI Maynooth, Professor Philip Nolan said: “NUI Maynooth and Athlone Institute of Technology are committed to excellence in teaching, and research and to working in partnership with enterprise and our community.

“We are central to the development of our region as a place to live and work. There is a natural fit between our two institutions, both geographically and from the perspective of creating a cohesive educational pathway for students across many disciplines. We have shared visions in relation to the future provision of third level education in Ireland, which is why we are confident the partnership will prove extremely effective.”

Athlone Institute of Technology and NUI Maynooth have been working together since 2011 to develop this strategic partnership. A Joint Working Group was set up by the institutions to identify key areas where collaboration would be most effective.

The initial phase of the formal partnership is due to begin in September 2013.