Limerick Institute of Technology

Limerick Institute of Technology
Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Luimneach
Motto Active learning, a fusion of theory and practice
Established 1975
President Vincent Cunnane
Students 6900
Address Moylish Park, Limerick, Ireland., Limerick, Ireland
52°40′29″N 8°38′55″W / 52.67472°N 8.64861°W / 52.67472; -8.64861Coordinates: 52°40′29″N 8°38′55″W / 52.67472°N 8.64861°W / 52.67472; -8.64861
Website www.lit.ie

Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) is an institution of higher education in Limerick, Ireland and is one of 13 institutes that are members of the Institutes of Technology Ireland (IOTI). The Institute has four campuses in Limerick city, one in both Thurles and Clonmel in County Tipperary and a regional learning centre in Ennis, County Clare. The main campus is located at Moylish Park on the north of Limerick city and houses the Faculty of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology and the School of Business and Humanities. The School of Art & Design is located at the Clare Street and George's Quay and Clonmel campuses. LIT's Tipperary School is based at the Thurles and Clonmel campuses.

Similar to the other institutes of technology, LIT offers courses at Level 6 (certificate) through Level 10 (PhD) whilst also catering for craft apprentices and adult and continuing education. The Institute has twice been named as The Sunday Times Institute of Technology of the Year in The Sunday Times University Guide, firstly in 2008[1] and again in 2013.[2]

History

A series of technical colleges, to be known as Regional Technical Colleges (RTCs) was announced by the Minister for Education, Patrick Hillery in 1963 and the first of the RTCs were opened in Athlone, Carlow, Dundalk, Sligo and Waterford in 1970. A Regional Technical College for Limerick was cancelled after a National Institute for Higher Education was announced for the city in 1972.

The Limerick City Vocational Education Committee (VEC) independently planned to build Limerick Technical College and acquired land at Moylish Park to do this. The college was opened in 1975 and has since developed into the main campus of Limerick Institute of Technology. In 1980 the VEC established Limerick College of Art, Commerce and Technology (Limerick CoACT) to include the newly established Limerick School of Art and Design, the School of Professional Studies, located on O'Connell Avenue and the Limerick Technical College at Moylish Park.

Limerick CoACT became a Regional Technical College in 1993 and was finally upgraded to Institute of Technology status in 1997, along with the rest of the RTCs. The Institute awards its own bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees, which were previously awarded by the Higher Education and Training Awards Council.[3]

LIT Thurles campus


LIT Tipperary (formerly Tipperary Institute) is one of the five constituent schools of Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT). Tipperary Institute was founded by the Irish Government in 1998 and opened two campuses in Thurles and Clonmel in September 1999. The then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern officially inaugurated the institute on 7 April 2000. It was formally integrated into LIT on 1 September 2011. The college was originally known as the Tipperary Rural and Business Development Institute (TRBDI).

Organization

Limerick Institute of Technology – Moylish Park

The Institute has four faculties, which are known in LIT as "Schools".


The Development Office works with the Registrar and Heads of School/Department to address the widening participation agenda in the broadest sense from Level 5 to Level 10 as per the National Framework of Qualifications by piloting new initiatives and then assisting to mainstream these initiatives within LIT. The Development Office activity includes: enhancing R&D and Technology Transfer; managing relationships with second level education providers; Lifelong Learning; and liaison with enterprise and employment development agencies in the Mid-West region.

Enterprise and research

The Enterprise Acceleration Centre (EAC) is an incubation facility for start-up companies, with particular emphasis on export and growth-focused businesses. The centre is located on the Moylish Park campus and is 1,350 m2 with 18 self-contained units. Client companies can rent office suites and avail of management development supports, including one-to-one business coaching, peer networking and research collaboration. The centre works with enterprise support agencies, including Enterprise Ireland and County & City Enterprise Boards and is a Microsoft BizSpark Network Partner.

The Limerick Enterprise Acceleration Platform (LEAP) is an annual programme run in the EAC. It is designed to support entrepreneurs in their quest to establish sustainable businesses. The 12-month programme provides supports to ten entrepreneurs to challenge and guide them to develop an investor-ready business plan while also supporting them to win the sales that will make their business viable. LEAP is an Enterprise Platform Programme, funded by the Higher Education Authority.

The Shannon Applied Biotechnology Centre (SABC) is based on the main campus and is a joint venture between LIT and the Institute of Technology, Tralee. It provides applied scientific services to industry in the area of integrated approaches to problem solving associated with the better utilisation of natural materials and the novel bio-resources they contain.

Sports

LIT has a very strong focus on sport with hurling and rugby being the most dominant. The Institute senior hurling team captured the Fitzgibbon Cup in 2005 and 2007 and the senior rugby team captured the All-Ireland Colleges Championship in 1998, 1999 and 2005.

One of the largest sports club in the Institute is the Outdoor Club. This was founded in 2001 and runs on the philosophy "alternative activities for all". It caters for all students, past and present interested in non-competitive activities such as Hillwalking, Orienteering, Mountaineering, Canoeing/Kayaking, Rock Climbing, Windsurfing, Surfing, Caving, Sailing and Mountain Biking.

LIT has a number of sports related courses with the Tipperary School running a course in Strength & Conditioning, in partnership with the online sports college Setanta College, and the Department of Humanities offers a Level 8-degree in Business Studies with Sports Management.

Notable Alumni

o Josephine Feehily: First woman Chair of the Revenue Commissioners; First Chair of the Policing Commission. o John Hartnett: President and Founder of the Irish Technology Leadership Group; Director of Aer Lingus; Silicon Valley Investor and Executive. o Gearoid Costelloe: Partner-in-Charge, Grant Thornton; member of NAMA Board. o John Shinnors: Leading Irish contemporary painter, collected both privately and publicly. Patron of the Shinnors Scholarship. o Niall McGarry: founder and owner, Joe.ie, Her.ie and Maximum Media. o Pat Breen TD: Minister of State for Employment and Small Business. o Jackie Tyrrell: Former Kilkenny hurling captain, winner of 9 All-Ireland senior hurling medals.

Millennium Theatre

The Millennium Theatre is located at Moylish Park and is host to a variety of live entertainment, concerts, recitals, drama, comedy and dance, with a capacity of 400. It also doubles as the largest lecture theatre on the Moylish Park campus.

Accommodation

There are several student villages in LIT with the most predominant being Thomond and Cratloe Woods Student Village. Other accommodation includes Harriston Student Village.

See also

References

  1. ↑ The Sunday Times University Guide 2008. Retrieved 15 December 2008.
  2. ↑ Owens, Alan, "LIT takes top award in University Guide", The Limerick Leader, 11 October 2012.] Retrieved on 14 January 2013.
  3. ↑ Delegated Authority, Higher Education Training and Awards Council. Retrieved on 23 March 2012.
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