This success at the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences in Austria follows on from winning the equivalent award at the University Politechnica, Bucharest, Hungary in June 2023.
The NWTEC presentation was delivered by Paul Hannigan, Head of College, ATU Donegal; Anne Mc Hugh, Chief Executive, Donegal Education and Training Board; JoAnne Kilmartin, NWTEC Project Officer, ATU Donegal; and Wendy Gibbons, NWTEC Project Officer, North West Regional College. With less than 20% of submitted abstracts securing invitations to present, it was a great honour for NWTEC to achieve this accolade. A total of three awards were presented for EURASHE 2024 contributions in the categories: Applied Research and Innovation; Upskilling, Reskilling, and Future Skills; and Local and Regional Impact. The NWTEC team received their well-earned award from President of EURASHE Hannes Raffaseder, CEO/President St. Pölten, University of Applied Sciences.
The theme for the EURASHE annual conference hosted by St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences in Austri was Stronger Together – Fostering Transitional Cooperation in Applied Universities. EURASHE, the European Association of Institutions in Higher Education was established in 1990 and has been working since to strengthen the sector on national and European levels to support Applied Higher Education. Three purposes were at the origin of EURASHE:
The NWTEC presentation was entitled “Collaborating for a Shared North West, a Connected, High Performing Region”. The presentation highlighted that to further the economic prosperity for the North West City Region (NWCR), encompassing County Donegal and the Derry City and Strabane District Council area, that NWTEC through its member institutions actively engages with the national and international diaspora to ensure the region can accumulate the necessary support and infrastructure for the region to achieve its full potential.
The focus of the conference was very much around the future and what desirable transformation could be achieved for Ireland and Northern Ireland via more coherent planning.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the Centre for Cross Border Studies (CCBS) is an independent organisation with charitable status, based in Armagh. By empowering citizens and building capacity across sectors, the Centre promotes and supports practical cooperation across the border on this island as part of the ongoing peace and reconciliation process, as well as cooperation between the island of Ireland and Great Britain, Europe and beyond to increase mutual understanding, prosperity and wellbeing. The Centre also provides practical information and advice for those crossing the border to live, work, study or retire – information and advice that is increasingly being sought after in the context of Brexit.
North West Tertiary Education Cluster (NWTEC) is now an established strategic alliance of all four publicly funded tertiary education providers in the North West City Region: Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Ulster University (UU), North West Regional College, and Donegal Education and Training Board. This deep partnership provides the full range of educational services including advanced skills training, cutting-edge innovation supports for enterprise, and internationally recognised high-quality research.
The conference was addressed by the ministers in both jurisdictions with responsibility for higher education, Mr Conor Murphy MLA, Economy Minister and Mr Patrick O Donovan TD, Minister for Further & Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
Speaking at the conference, Minister O’ Donovan said ” I am delighted to be here in Ulster University, this morning to speak at today’s conference. The North-West Tertiary Education Cluster (NWTEC) has evolved as a brand and a meaningful partnership focusing on supporting the development of this Region. It has been to the forefront in promoting and highlighting education, advanced skills training, cutting-edge innovation, enterprise services and internationally recognised high-quality research in this region”.
Mr Patrick O Donovan TD: Minister for Further & Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
Former RTE Northern Editor, Tommie Gorman hosted the event which started with a discussion on integrated education and the border and moved on to concentrate on how to foster economic development in the North West. The keynote address was delivered by Mr Danny McCoy, CEO of Ibec; Danny was previously a senior economist at both the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and the Central Bank of Ireland in Dublin.
Panel discussions featured leading enterprise representatives from the region and the development agencies from both sides of the border examining the opportunities available for the North West via coherent strategic collaboration. A very inspiring and thought-provoking conference was brought to a close with the leads from the four NWTEC partners setting out tertiary education priorities for the future North West.
“Hosting the Future North West Conference at Ulster University in Derry~Londonderry has been a privilege,” said Professor Paul Bartholomew, Vice Chancellor of Ulster University. “We are delighted that the conference secured the interest of ministers from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, along with our friends from the North West Tertiary Education Cluster. Together, we are shaping the future of tertiary education on this island and prioritising the advancement of tertiary education in the North West. The collaborative spirit and shared vision evident here today has been very pleasing to witness.”
Dr Orla Flynn President of the Atlantic Technological University stated: “The con
ference was very stimulating, providing strong support for the North West Tertiary Education Cluster. Throughout the day we got many examples of tangible evidence of deep collaboration across the education partners, local government and the private sector. The conference offered a real vision for a connected future in which the North West can be a beacon for transformative collaboration.”Donegal Education and Training Board Chief Executive, Anne McHugh, noted the importance of this collaborative work: “One of our priorities is to play a leading role in forming local and regional partnerships that will improve educational, social and economic outcomes for Donegal. This collaboration with ATU, the North West Regional College and Ulster University, through the North West Tertiary Education Cluster, in terms of upskilling and reskilling, is strategically important for the future uplift of this cross border region.”
Leo Murphy, Principal and Chief Executive of North West Regional College said he “Welcomed the NWTEC conference at Ulster University and that it provided an excellent platform to showcase the innovation and skills work taking place across the four institutions to help build this city region.”
The objective of this event was to promote Ireland’s North West City Region in relation to trade and investment and to demonstrate the competitive advantages of doing business in the North West City Region. This was an opportunity to continue to develop a strong partnership between the North West City Region and the City of London and wider UK and to engage with the Irish diaspora in London, further expanding the region’s reach.
Cllr Martin Harley, Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council was keen to showcase the city region to a London audience saying that “we are delighted to showcase our regional offer to important players in the London business and wider community today. The North West is ready for growth, and we have invested significant sums in infrastructure, networks and facilities to ensure we’re investor ready as a city region. The fact that so many high caliber businesses have now located in the region have invested here highlights the high quality of our investment proposition. On behalf of Donegal County Council, I would like to thank Ambassador Fraser for hosting our delegation at this wonderful event in the Embassy of Ireland.”
Cllr Patricia Logue, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council highlighted that place and proximity to talent has played a huge role in company success across the North West City Region, stating “We pride ourselves in our people and
the role our universities and colleges play in molding that talent. Combined with a superb quality of life, the North West City Region offers a work life balance that attracts and retains the best employees. With the Common Travel Area, an exceptional talent pool can be drawn across the region. Living and working across two jurisdictions on a day-to-day basis. We have the right kind of infrastructure, logistics and proximity to London. This is a region of untapped potential. We are already providing important and valuable support to companies such as FinTrU who have grown and prospered in this region. We are ready to capitalise on our strengths to drive economic growth and foster innovation, for our mutual benefit. With our close proximity to London. And, and by sharing the only land border between the EU and UK. We are an ideal gateway location to both these markets”.
Chief Executive with Derry City and Strabane District Council John Kelpie said it was hugely important for the North West City Region to showcase its attributes and to engage directly with key stakeholders and influencers. “It is very important for us to strengthen our links with London and to do all we can to showcase out offerings to this audience. It’s an opportunity for us to develop strong international business links and build on the existing good work that is being done to develop our key industries, the emerging fintech cluster in our region and to collaborate on shared interests in innovation, education and climate action.”
Chief Executive of Donegal County Council, John McLaughlin stated that “Ireland’s North West City Region is an excellent location for investors as it straddles two jurisdictions which provides businesses, multi-nationals and entrepreneurs the benefits of having access to both the EU and UK markets. The North West City region has established strong political, economic, and cultural linkages with London and this event further strengthens these connections. ”
The event included a lively panel discussion focused on Ireland’s North West City Region, a gateway to global growth moderated by Tip O’Neill Irish Diaspora Award 2023 recipient Caroline McLaughlin, Executive Director at Morgan Stanley, UK. Panelists included Denis Curran, Head of Regions, Property and Enterprise Development at the IDA and Darragh McCarthy, CEO at FinTrU.
The event is also a fitting way to mark the 25-year anniversary of the Good Friday agreement and to share success stories of how the region has evolved since from an economic development perspective. It also highlighted the benefit to businesses of locating in this region which can provide seamless market access to both the EU and UK.
Leading blue chip and fast-growing businesses, along with public and private sector representatives and key influencers based in and around London attended the event as well as stakeholders from across the region to provide a holistic overview of the benefits of locating in Ireland’s North West City Region.
The North West City region has a varied talent pool including a workforce which is not just highly educated but innovative, creative and loyal with Centres of Excellence in Big Data & Analytics, Health & Life Sciences, Advanced Manufacturing and the Blue Economy.
Ireland’s North West City region has a proven track record in hosting international companies such as PGIM, TCS, Seagate, DuPont, Allstate, Optum, Zeus, FinTrU, Abbot and Terex Corporation. These companies are already reaping the benefits and gaining competitive advantages provided by operating in the North West City Region. Talent is also driving investment decisions and the North West City Region provides a unique location for businesses seeking competitive advantage.
The event was also supported by stakeholders including the IDA Ireland, Invest NI, Enterprise Ireland, Atlantic Technological University, Ulster University, Donegal ETB and the North West Regional College along with businesses operating in the region. The event provided a valuable platform for exchanging ideas, sharing insights and building relationships on a cross-border basis.
For more information visit: www.irelandnw.com