Higher Education Landscape and Technological University ... · for the strategic development of...
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Higher Education Landscape
and
Technological University
Phase 1 Submission
July 2012
CIT Higher Education Landscape and Technological University Phase 1 Submission to HEA – July 2012
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1. Mission Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) is based on a number of campus sites across Cork City and County
and has a history which can be traced back to the Cork Municipal Technical Institute which was
established in the early 1900s. The greater Cork region (city and county), with an overall population
of over 519,000 and a youth population of over 65,0001, provides the Institute with 70% of its
student body which currently consists of almost 15,000 individuals equating to over 9,000 full-time-
equivalent students. The Institute plays a vital role in the economic activity of the greater Cork
region which has an annual industrial output of over €31 billion with a workforce of 27,798 and
almost 700 economic units (i.e. businesses, industrial plants, etc)2. The Institute’s pivotal importance
in the local economy can be gauged by the fact that there are currently over 60 early stage
businesses in the CIT Rubicon business incubator and there have been over 170 successful start-ups
in the past decade from the CIT Genesis enterprise support programme. CIT’s provision of continuing
professional development courses (22% of total enrolments) is second only to that of DIT in terms of
range of courses and student numbers. The National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI), which is
the national centre for the education and training of mariners for both the merchant navy and the
Irish Naval Service, is a constituent college of CIT. The Institute makes a significant contribution to
the cultural life of the region through the educational and cultural activities of the CIT Cork School of
Music and the CIT Crawford College of Art and Design. CIT has a long-standing and productive
relationship with University College Cork (UCC) which extends to joint provision of courses and
collaborative research initiatives. Our relationship with UCC is addressed in more detail in Section 3
of this document.
We have been consistent in our view that designation as a technological university is essential in
order to allow CIT to continue to develop its mission in line with regional and national priorities. CIT
applied for technological university designation in 2008 and also strongly supported the provision for
creating technological universities contained in the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030.
In collaboration with our partner institutions in Limerick and Kerry (Tralee), we are proposing to
develop the Munster Technological University (MTU). We will establish a new university which
retains the mission and focus of the existing Institutes of Technology but which will allow that
mission to be developed and enhanced to deliver a significant positive impact at regional and
national level. The proposed MTU, and its impact on the Munster region, is addressed in detail in
Section 4 of this document.
Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) is proud of its distinct mission and role in the provision of higher
education for the region and beyond. Our mission is:
To provide student-centred, career-focused education and research for the personal, professional
and intellectual development of the student and for the benefit of the broader society in the
region and beyond.
As we look towards the future we have an ambitious and challenging vision for the strategic
development of CIT which is that:
1 2011 Census of the Population, Central Statistics Office
2 2009 Census of Industrial Production, Central Statistics Office
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CIT will be an internationally recognised centre of excellence in the provision of career-focused
education which produces effective, ethical professionals capable of entrepreneurship, innovation
and creativity.
Achieving this vision requires the development of learners who are flexible thinkers capable of
creativity and innovation with the goal that, by the time they leave CIT, our graduates will already
possess the attributes and aptitude required to be effective professionals and practitioners in their
chosen field. We seek to educate professionals throughout our broad range of undergraduate,
postgraduate and research programmes across science, engineering, business, the humanities, craft
studies, visual arts, maritime studies and music. It is our goal to ensure that every CIT graduate will
be recognised as possessing and practising the following strengths and competencies:
A CIT graduate will have a broad range of relevant discipline-specific knowledge, skills and
competencies.
A CIT graduate will exhibit personal and professional efficacy and integrity, enabled by the
development of a broad range of competencies including interpersonal and communication
skills, teamwork, ethics and social responsibility.
A CIT graduate will be motivated and empowered to be a lifelong learner with a passion for
learning which is underpinned by the essential skills of inquiry and scholarship.
A CIT graduate will have the ability to create and apply knowledge in a variety of
professional contexts, having participated in an educational programme which fosters
problem solving, knowledge discovery, research and the use of knowledge in real-world
situations.
This vision sees CIT becoming an international exemplar of good practice in professional education.
CIT will pursue this goal through the ongoing adoption of best practice in teaching, learning and
research as follows:
Active and collaborative student-centred learning which engages the student’s desire to
learn and challenges them to take ownership of their learning experience.
A relevant and flexible career-focused curriculum, developed in close partnership with
enterprise.
Research education which delivers a range of skills including creativity, inquiry, problem
solving and innovation, and develops professional researchers capable of pursuing research,
innovation and development careers in both enterprise and academic settings.
CIT will continue to be a national and international leader in enterprise engagement and in the
practice of extending the education campus into the workplace and the wider community. The CIT
approach to campus extension and engagement will be characterised by:
The development of engagement as an Institute-wide commitment, embracing education,
research, innovation and enterprise support.
The fostering of two-way engagement and knowledge exchange between CIT and external
partners.
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The creation of agile and flexible learning pathways in partnership with enterprises and
communities, incorporating the recognition of prior learning and work-based learning.
Enhanced practice and policy frameworks that recognise and support the valuable
contribution of enterprises and communities to the curriculum to ensure relevance and
currency.
Responsiveness is at the core of our mission and therefore effective campus extension and
engagement is an essential activity for CIT. We are seeking to develop a professional outward-facing
interface through which external communities, organisations and enterprises can interact with CIT.
Through these interactions and partnerships we will ensure that we continue to meet the needs of
our stakeholders.
Our strategic goals are aligned with broader national goals including those outlined in the National
Strategy for Higher Education to 2030. In particular the National Strategy identified four broad areas
for the strategic development of higher education in Ireland, namely, widening participation,
enhancing teaching and learning and the student experience, developing research, innovation and
knowledge transfer, and improving engagement with enterprise and the wider society.
As we work towards achieving our strategic goals, CIT has identified a number of areas where we will
strive to make significant strategic achievements. These areas encapsulate the domains of priority
identified in the National Strategy as well as establishing areas for strategic development that are
specific to CIT. CIT will strive to make significant achievements in the areas of:
Developing and Improving the Student Experience
Offering High Quality, Relevant and Flexible Programmes
Strengthening and Extending Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Activities
Prioritising Targeted Internationalisation Activities
Advancing and Growing the Mission and Role of CIT
Below we detail the strategic areas targeted and outline top-level objectives and targets to be
achieved.
Developing the Student Experience and Offering High Quality Programmes
The student experience is an essential element of a student-centred institution. The student
experience must be viewed in the broadest terms and must encapsulate the experience of the online
learner who never experiences the CIT campus as well as the more standard on-site learner. Our
goal is that every CIT student will be provided with a positive and supportive learning environment.
Our programmes of study are the bedrock of our strategic goals and future success. We will continue
to strive for the highest international standards in terms of the delivery and quality of these
programmes. Furthermore, it is essential that our programmes are current and relevant to the needs
of the enterprise and the broader society as well as the learners’ needs and that they are made
accessible through flexible and open provision.
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As we continue to achieve the twin goals of a high-quality student experience and high-quality
programmes we have identified the following top-level objectives:
Through the implementation of best practice in teaching & learning, CIT will develop an
enhanced student experience.
CIT will provide a supportive environment for our students through the provision of effective,
student-centred supports and services.
Through developing and implementing best practice in the area of curriculum design, CIT will
continue to enhance the quality of its programmes of study.
The relevance of CIT programmes will be ensured through professional accreditation and
ongoing feedback from employer and sectoral stakeholders.
CIT will continue to develop, encourage and enable the employability of its graduates through
the incorporation of employability development activities, such as professional practice and
enterprise-linked projects, in programmes of learning.
CIT will offer increased flexible learning opportunities by significantly expanding its existing
open/distance learning capabilities and programmes across all disciplines and levels.
Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Activities
CIT is one of the highest-performing research & innovation institutions in the country and has been
the highest-performing institution outside of the university sector under the Programme for
Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) for the past five years. Since 2005, the Institute has more
than doubled its research student numbers to 85 PhDs and 92 research Masters, with an additional
23 post-doctoral researchers and research assistants.
By the end of 2013 CIT will have completed construction of two new dedicated research buildings.
The NIMBUS Centre for Research in Embedded Networked Systems was opened in 2010 and covers
an area of 1750 m2 over two floors and is one of the most heavily-networked buildings in the State.
The Centre for Research in Advanced Therapeutic Engineering (CREATE) will be opened in late 2013
and will cover an area of 1600 m2 over two floors.
CIT has received over €90m in research funding in the past five years, representing more than 25%
of the total for the Institutes of Technology sector (excluding DIT). This funding has come from all
major national funding agencies (HEA, SFI, EI, EPA, IRCSET, IRCHSS, Department of Agriculture,
Department of the Marine) and from EU programmes (FP4-7, INTERREG, ERDF). Direct funding from
industry amounted to almost €2m in 2011.
Our research strategy focuses on developing expertise, critical mass and research excellence in a
small number of specific disciplines. To date we have had considerable success in developing our
research around four Institutional Research Clusters (IRCs):
NIMBUS (covering networks of wireless systems) - Including the TEC industry-interface centre.
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BIO-EXPLORE (covering bioactive compounds, analytical chemistry and biomedical engineering) -
Including the MEDIC industry-interface centre.
PHOTONICS (covering generation and detection of light) - Including the CAPPA industry-interface
centre and Blackrock Castle Observatory public-engagement in science facility and research centre.
ENERGY AND SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT (covering renewable sources, smart grid and energy
efficiency).
These research clusters together account for nearly 300 research staff and students across 10
departments, supported by Delegated Authority to Level 10 (PhD) in most of the disciplines and each
aligns with national research priorities. There are close links between the clusters and the
undergraduate cohort in terms of new course developments, laboratory placement, undergraduate
project work and access to specialised equipment and technologies.
Additional technology transfer, training and consultancy is undertaken within specialised Technology
Centres in the Institute. These centres are national resource centres and provide independent
expertise, advice and assistance to different sectors of industry, business and government bodies.
They include:
The Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Management Systems (CAMMS) which
provides individuals and companies with opportunities to study for and obtain professional
qualifications in specific areas as well as research and consultancy services to a range of
industries.
The Clean Technology Centre (CTC) which works closely with the EPA to provide training and
consultancy to industry as well as research into cleaner production technologies, waste
management and regulatory compliance.
NMCI Services which provides bespoke training and consultancy for the maritime industry
and the offshore oil and gas sector.
PhD education at CIT aligns with the Lisbon/Barcelona Agendas and specifically the Salzburg’s
principles by (i) equipping students with a range of the highest-quality research and innovation skills
relevant to their discipline area, (ii) training them with the skills needed for the wider employment
market and (iii) providing them with multiple career options. These business-ready and innovative
graduates can be expected to play a key role in achieving the vision put forward in the government’s
Smart Economy Framework (2008). In 2011 the Academic Council adopted the “Framework for the
Delivery of Structured PhD Education” and the “Framework for Professional Doctorates”. These
documents define the characteristics and requirements of doctoral research into the future. In PRTLI
V, CIT was the only Institute of Technology to be awarded funding to lead a Graduate Education
Programme. The Ed4Life Graduate Programme supports students in the life sciences from CIT, UCC
and Teagasc Moorepark. CIT is also involved in a further three Graduate Education Programmes.
CIT has long been active in providing innovation and business support in the South-West region. The
Institute runs a number of entrepreneurship support programmes, including the Genesis programme
in association with Enterprise Ireland which has produced 170 successful start-ups, yielding 2,400
jobs over the past 11 years. CIT also operates the Rubicon business incubation centre which
currently houses over 60 knowledge-based companies employing approximately 180 people.
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As we seek to strengthen and extend our research, innovation and entrepreneurship activities CIT
will focus on the following priorities:
CIT will continue to enhance and promote technology transfer activity through collaborative and
contract research, licensing and other such initiatives.
Support mechanisms (e.g. Rubicon business incubation centre) for new enterprises will be
consolidated and entrepreneurship training will be expanded.
CIT will increase its researcher numbers and research and innovation outputs by 10 - 15% in the
period 2012 to 2016.
The CIT Extended Campus will be developed to support two-way engagement of individuals and
organisations with the Institute for the purpose of knowledge exchange, learning, research and
other activities.
Provision of work-based and employee-focused education opportunities and services will be
developed and enhanced.
Prioritising Targeted Internationalisation Activities
CIT has long-established and productive international partnerships in Europe, India, China and
beyond. These activities include joint programmes, research collaboration and staff and student
exchanges. We are committed to the ongoing development of these and similar partnerships to
provide an international context for the Institute’s activities as well as international experience for
our students and graduates.
In relation to our internationalisation activities CIT has established the following objectives:
CIT will continue to establish significant strategic partnerships with selected overseas higher
education institutions and research organisations.
Through the promotion of two-way international exchange programmes and the provision of
international and inter-cultural skills, competencies and experience in programmes of study,
staff, students and graduates will be equipped to participate in the international professional
environment and the global society.
International student intake will be increased by 100% in the period 2012 to 2016.
CIT will play a leading role in the development of the European Graduate School along with our
partner institutions in Germany, England and Norway.
Advancing and Growing the Mission and Role of CIT
CIT intends to work with government, policy makers and other stakeholders to develop our mission
and role in order to deliver an effective national higher education system and the best possible
return for the Irish economy and the broader society. We will strive to help achieve national
priorities in areas such as widening participation, enhancing the quality of provision and developing
the higher education system.
In this context CIT will focus on the following objectives:
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CIT will continue to facilitate inclusive access to higher education for increasing numbers of
individuals, particularly among under-represented groups in society.
By means of collaboration and cooperation with educational partners, enterprise and public
bodies, CIT will become a major campus of a newly designated Technological University.
CIT will actively promote the development of a regional higher education cluster.
National targets in relation to the participation of under-represented groups in higher education
will be achieved or surpassed and CIT will increase its adult lifelong learner and CPD student
enrolments by 50%.
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2. Student Profile The National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 projects significant increases (of the order of
20%) in student numbers in higher education over the course of the next 5 years. We believe that
many of the underlying conditions and assumptions that led to these projections are no longer valid
and there will need to be some revision of these targets. CIT recently completed its strategic
planning process for the period 2012 to 2016 and have set the following objectives in relation to our
student profile during this time period:
Overall student numbers will increase by 10% in the period 2012 to 2016.
There will be a 50% increase in non-standard students (this includes mature, CPD, work-based).
CIT aims to have a minimum of 600 whole time equivalent (WTE) students studying via open and
distance learning by 2016.
There will be a 100% increase in the number of international students in the next 5 years.
There will be a 10 - 15% increase in the numbers of researcher/research students.
The overall increase of 10% in student numbers represents a realistic goal in the current climate.
Encapsulated within the overall figure are significant increases in the numbers of non-standard,
open and distance, and international students. These increases are aligned to established national
needs and priorities and this is particularly the case in relation to the non-standard and international
categories. The increase in students accessing the Institute via the open and distance mode of
delivery could be described as a facilitation initiative. In allowing programme delivery to be accessed
in a manner that fits a student’s lifestyle, this approach will facilitate greater numbers of students in
accessing CIT courses. It will also allow the Institute to achieve more efficient use of existing
resources by opening up the delivery of a programme to the widest possible cohort of students. The
increase in researcher numbers reflects the development of the Institute’s research activities over
the last 10 years and confirms our intention to continue to grow our existing research centres of
excellence and, where appropriate, to establish new areas of research in a coherent manner.
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3. Regional clusters CIT is fully committed to the concept of clusters and we believe that they are essential to a coherent
and effective higher education system. Higher education clusters within the region will allow the
different institutions to negotiate their missions and related provision where these interact and
overlap. Clustering will facilitate collaborative activities and provision thus enhancing the activities of
the entire higher education system as well as providing a mechanism for preventing wasteful
duplication of activity.
CIT already has a significant track record of collaboration and shared provision with University
College Cork (UCC). The collaborations to date include:
Joint degrees in Architecture (BSc, MArch), Biomedical Sciences (BSc, MSc). These are sector-
leading initiatives in university-Institute of Technology collaboration.
Joint research activities in key areas including maritime energy, environment, photonics (Tyndall
National Institute), biosciences and ICT. Formal MOUs covering each of these areas have been
signed with UCC.
Sharing of academic expertise through teaching and learning exchanges including initial art
teacher education, architecture, music, civil engineering, process engineering, art history, energy
engineering.
Sharing of services and activities including disability support, exam facilities, SIF projects.
Sharing of facilities (Copley Street Cork Architectural Centre, associated library in Cork School of
Music).
Joint governance arrangements including Joint Management Boards, Joint Academic Standards
Board, joint programme approval processes, Boards of Studies, joint marks and standards and
recently full delegation of authority to CIT from HETAC to award joint degrees with UCC.
This is not an exhaustive list but is illustrative of the scale and breadth of the activities. As well as
these there are a number of ongoing and planned collaborations such as the IMERC marine research
initiative and the Cork Science and Innovation Park development in partnership with Cork County
and City Councils as well as private enterprise.
We believe that the concept of clusters should not be restricted to higher education and should
extend in the first instance to other education institutions in the region. CIT has a number of
articulation agreements in place with the further education providers in Cork City and it is our
intention to expand and strengthen these over the coming years. A coherent higher and further
education cluster will provide significant benefits to the learners as well as delivering benefits for the
region and beyond by enhancing the skill-set and employability of the workforce. The regional
education cluster should also include those at secondary and primary level. It is important that there
is interaction with second level in particular to ensure that students are empowered to access and
succeed in tertiary education. This is why CIT, in partnership with other higher education
institutions, is developing an access programme which spans the whole of the Munster region.
These examples of current cluster activity and the good practices identified therein (alongside those
of our partners identified below in Section 4) will be used as the basis for forging the policy on
Regional Clusters of the proposed Munster Technological University. This will be at the heart of a
network of relationships involving further education colleges, other universities, local agencies and
diverse organisations designed to maximise its ability to deliver its mission and to support others in
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theirs. Formal relationships with further education colleges and other providers, both for the
purpose of enhancing distributed learning and facilitating effective student access, will be
established to maximise regional impact. This distributed cluster presence across the region will
reinforce the institution’s ability to work in partnership with local businesses, industry and the
professions. It will also enable applied research to be focused at the point of need. The Governing
Body of the University will have appropriate representation from across the region and this will
ensure that the various interests and stakeholders within the region will have real and valued input
to the planning and strategic direction of the University, thereby ensuring its activities are
appropriately aligned to local and regional needs. Regional Clusters and the concept of the
Technological University go hand in hand.
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4. The Munster Technological University We propose to establish the Munster Technological University (MTU) jointly with the Institute of
Technology Tralee and the Limerick Institute of Technology in order to capitalise on the synergies
between all three successful Institutes of Technology. A Memorandum of Understanding has been
ratified by the three governing bodies and signed by the Chairs and Presidents as a sign of the
commitment to this initiative designed to meet the current and future needs of Munster and Ireland.
The creation of a Technological University sector in Ireland is, we believe, a necessary and natural
progression in the development of Irish higher education. The establishment of the Institutes of
Technology (then the Regional Technical Colleges) in the 1970s was a response to an identified lack
of skilled manpower at technician and technologist level to meet the economic expansion of that
time. As Irish economic and social development continued apace over the following decades, the
Institutes of Technology remained responsive to the needs of the broader society and expanded the
breadth and level of their course provision. This enhanced mission was recognised and facilitated by
enabling legislation, in 1992 and again in 2006, which among other things provided for the
development of the Institutes’ research activities. The National Strategy on Higher Education
acknowledges that “the high calibre graduates produced by the higher education system have been
critical to the development of high technology, indigenous industry and to the attraction of very
substantial FDI into the country.” The Report goes on to state “however, what has served us well in
the past will not serve us well in the future without significant change”. The acceptance by the
government of the National Strategy points the way towards a technological university sector. The
Institutes of Technology in Cork, Kerry and Limerick are fully committed to, and very proud of, their
history and mission and we believe that the creation of the Munster Technological University will
allow enhanced delivery of that mission as envisaged in the National Strategy.
The Munster Technological University, born out of a merger of strong partners with shared
philosophies, will make a vital and positive contribution to the society and economy of the region
through:
its enhanced critical mass facilitating the high quality distributed provision of focused and
relevant research and taught programmes;
improved effectiveness and efficiency, through the accompanying economies of scale;
a reinforced spirit of enterprise and entrepreneurship across all parts of the institution,
including:
o the capacity to generate funds from non-traditional sources,
o incubation centres in partnership with relevant agencies supporting spin-in and spin-out
start-up companies
o closeness to the world of work and the professional readiness of graduates,
o a staff base which will be as engaged with the business, industrial and professional
community as it is with academia;
a focused research mission which stresses application and enterprise collaboration;
a renewed national and international perception of capability in research, innovation and
entrepreneurialism;
enhanced international collaborations including fee-paying incoming students, student and
staff exchanges, research projects and combined courses of study,
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full awarding powers at NFQ levels 6-10 supported by demonstrably robust quality assurance
processes underpinning taught and research degrees, and appropriate administrative services;
its explicit channels of access, transfer and progression through and from all levels;
the enhanced portability and recognition of graduates' qualifications nationally and
internationally.
The projections shown in Appendix A clearly demonstrate that the merged institution will be well
positioned to reach the necessary criteria for the establishment of a TU. Furthermore, it is
anticipated, based on the experience of newly designated universities at home and abroad, that re-
designation will result in a significantly enhanced capacity allowing the new university quickly to
surpass the level required by the relevant criteria.
The Munster Region and the Impact of the MTU
The province of Munster has a population of 1.2 million as determined by the 2011 Census. It
incorporates the official Eurostat NUTS regions of Ireland South-West, Ireland Mid-West as well as
part of the Ireland South-East region. The combined economic output of these regions is in excess of
€36 billion, or 25% of national Gross Value Added (GVA). The region has a workforce of over 400,000
which equates to more than 22% of the national workforce3. The strength and maturity of the
region’s economy is evident in the fact that Munster has a greater economic output than a number
of nation states including Luxembourg, Uruguay, Bulgaria and Lithuania4. Further detail on the MTU
location, student catchment and relevant economic indicators are presented in Appendix B.
The establishment of MTU will play a key role in the economic strategy of Munster and Ireland, in
developing a competitive, high-skills, knowledge-based society. It will, as part of wider national
policy, enhance Ireland’s ability to compete in an increasingly challenging global environment.
When addressing the impact of the Munster Technological University on the Munster region it is
important to recognise that the three institutions that make up the MTU already make a significant
positive impact on the broader region. However, in the context of this section the focus is specifically
on areas where the MTU delivers added value beyond what is currently provided by the three
constituent institutions.
In looking at the nature and impact of the Munster Technological University on the Munster region
we have used a combination of two frameworks developed respectively by the OECD5 and the
Centre for International Economics in Canberra, Australia6. In examining the impact of the MTU we
have therefore reflected below upon five indices derived from these frameworks:
1. the support for regional innovation through research, knowledge exchange and related
activities;
2. the provision of human and economic capital within the region through teaching and learning;
3. the development of the region and regional capacity;
4. contribution to social, cultural and environmental development of the region;
3 Central Statistics Office: County Incomes and Regional GDP for 2009 – report published January 2012
4 Source World Bank - http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.FCST.CD
5 The OECD programme for institutional management in higher education (IMHE) sponsors a project looking at
the role of higher education in regional and city development which uses four headings to assess impact. 6 The Australian government review of higher education in 1998 (the West review) included a framework for
assessing the economic contributions of regional universities (developed by the Centre for International Economics).
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5. direct economic impact on the region.
Nature of the MTU: The five impact indices
The MTU will build on the core competencies of the merging institutions to create a new
Technological University which will deliver substantial benefits and will have a significant impact on
the life of the region.
1. Support for regional innovation through research, knowledge exchange and related
activities
The MTU will have a research mission which emphasises enabling research in that it will focus on the
fundamental creation of knowledge and the exploration and exploitation of that knowledge in
application. This encompasses but also goes beyond applied research which seeks to create
knowledge in a solution-oriented manner applicable to pre-defined practical contexts. Our research
activities will be “joined as appropriate to high end professional and occupational training, and
underpin relations with some local, national and global enterprises.” 7 The objective will be to
support the creation of knowledge and to promote the exchange of knowledge through:
research that explicitly informs teaching programmes which will, in addition, be underpinned
by scholarship reflecting a knowledge of both the academic and the occupational spheres;
a research strategy that foregrounds links to enterprises and the contribution MTU can make
to innovation and knowledge exchange as well as partnerships with other complementary
research units, inside and outside Ireland;
an especially strong emphasis on business incubation, innovation and knowledge exchange;
its capacity to support the strategic extension of research and doctoral activity into new fields
as their relevance develops;
the development of joint research activities with business enterprises, industry and the
professions with some based on shared funding.
The current central focus on enterprise support and innovation across the three partner institutions
provides a unique platform for the Technological University to grow significantly the level of activity
in this area. Currently, the three institutions provide such services across distributed centres
throughout Munster. Their combined success is borne out by the fact that in the past decade over
3,000 jobs have been created through the support of over 305 start-up companies and these
companies have secured investment which is in excess of €100 million.
The portfolio of current research, entrepreneurial and innovative activity in the three Institutes
defines the particular areas which the MTU will build on immediately and which differentiate MTU’s
offerings from those of the existing universities in the region.
2. Provision of human and economic capital within the region through teaching and
learning
Similarly the academic programme profile of MTU will reflect the differentiated mission of
Technological Universities. We understand Technology to mean ‘knowledge in use, not just science
or engineering in use7’ Thus visual and performing arts, applied humanities and business will
continue to play an important role alongside other curriculum areas but based upon the mission
7 Marginson Simon: Criteria for Technological University designation, Feb 2011
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critical perspective of supporting the economy through career oriented professional relevance and
industry-led research and innovation. MTU will be noted for its:
extensive and high quality programme provision and teaching/learning activity across NFQ
levels 6-10;
a responsive academic portfolio with a high degree of flexibility, with interdisciplinary and
multidisciplinary provision to meet market/stakeholder needs rapidly and cost effectively;
flexible and innovative forms of learning through modular and credit-based provision;
facilitating distance learning, in-company delivery, in-company programme accreditation,
recognition of prior (experiential) learning, articulation agreements with partners, out-centre
delivery and blended learning;
collaboration and cooperative arrangements with other universities, and further education
institutions leading to effective, distributed provision and access routes into and through NQF
levels 6-10 based around the regional cluster concept.
There will be the universal use of international benchmarking of programmes at all levels in terms of
content and quality, and a majority of staff teaching in each area of professional education will be
required to have had professional practice experience in that field.
3. Development of the region and regional capacity
At the heart of Munster Technological University’s mission will be the relationship with external
partners and the extension of the university campus across the Munster region and into the
community in order to enhance regional capacity. This will be facilitated through the multi-campus
dimension brought about by the merger of the three partners. It will be reflected in:
intensive and broad-based links with occupations, employers and community organisations;
a specialised focus on enterprise and community links;
the output of graduates that are professionally ready, with a fully developed capacity to apply
their knowledge in the workplace;
a curriculum developed in close consultation with business, industry and the professions;
the involvement of personnel seconded from and/or visiting from business, industry and the
professions in teaching programmes at all levels;
a governing body that collectively includes the broad range of necessary competences
represented inter alia through national and international members from business, industry,
the professions, external HE management, students, staff and alumni;
strong processes for feedback and evaluation by business, industry and the professions,
partner institutions and students;
a geographical spread across a region sufficient to meet the stakeholder needs of business,
industry and the professions through multiple campuses and information technology;
the development of a social and community based support ethos.
MTU will specialise in what has been labelled ‘Mode 2’8 knowledge creation. ‘Mode 2’ knowledge is
inherently trans-disciplinary and is generated within the specific contexts of application (i.e. from
interaction with regional businesses, industry, public services and professions). The MTU will be at
the core of an enterprise and innovation eco-system which will provide an environment for the
8 Introduction: ‘Mode 2’ Revisited, The New Production of Knowledge – Minerva 41, 2003
CIT Higher Education Landscape and Technological University Phase 1 Submission to HEA – July 2012
Page 15 of 23
creation and exchange of knowledge along with the provision of a range of services including
education, training, research, product development and business incubation. The MTU will work
alongside the traditional universities in the region to exploit the synergies of the distinct yet
complementary approaches to the creation of knowledge. The creation of a productive higher
education cluster within the region together with the enterprise and innovation eco-system
developed by the MTU will allow Munster to continue to be productive, progressive and innovative
and to become a ‘learning region’9.
4. Contribution to social, cultural and environmental impact on the region
The MTU will provide a centre of education, practice and performance in the area of the visual and
performing arts which will serve the entire Southern and Mid-West region, as well as being a centre
of national significance in some specialised areas. The MTU will be the only HE Institution in Munster
delivering programmes in the culturally and economically vital sector of visual arts.
The physical distribution of the University campuses as well as its fundamental commitment to
providing its core activities directly engaged with its constituencies mean that the MTU will provide a
real and positive value added for society within the region.
The MTU will have a strong focus on the natural environment of the region and will be committed to
safeguarding the environmental wellbeing of the region. All three Institutes have track records in
environmental projects in cooperation with the EPA, SEI, local authorities and utility companies in
areas including energy generation, energy management and water management. The increased
capability and capacity of the MTU will allow for increased activity in this area.
5. Direct economic impact on the region
A higher education institution has a direct economic impact on its region through a number of
factors including the value of the institution’s infrastructure and capital spend in the region, the
value of other institutional spending in the region, the value of the salaries of staff that live in the
region, and the value of staff and student spending. The impact of each of these factors will be
increased through the creation of a larger institution with more students, more activity and a greater
capacity for earning funding via national, European and international sources.
The overall contribution of the three institutions in terms of direct spending is conservatively
estimated at over €200 million. At present there are approximately 3,000 people employed across
the region by the three institutions and using a conservative multiplier of 3 to 1 (i.e. each job
supports 3 additional jobs in the local economy) means that currently a total of 12,000 jobs are
directly supported by the MTU partners. Based on international experience this contribution will
increase post-designation as the MTU will have an enhanced ability to contribute.
The Structure of MTU
The three existing Institutes of Technology in Cork, Kerry and Limerick have committed themselves
to the establishment of a single, fully unified, geographically distributed institution for the
development of the Munster Technological University. The new organisation will be a single
integrated institution centred on the pre-existing campus sites distributed across the Munster
region. This model will ensure that the proposed Technological University will deliver the
government’s objectives in a coherent and strategic manner.
9 Toward the learning region - R Florida – Futures 27(5), 1995
CIT Higher Education Landscape and Technological University Phase 1 Submission to HEA – July 2012
Page 16 of 23
A detailed plan describing the consolidation model will be presented as part of the Stage Two
documentation. A review of international best practice in multi-campus University structures will
inform this plan. In developing a single integrated model, local perspectives will be retained to meet
local needs (whether students or local agencies and businesses). It is envisaged that the leadership
and senior management roles will be based at different sites and therefore the top management
team of the University will be physically distributed in order to ensure that the University’s strategic
policy development is well informed by local circumstances as well as the regional, national and
international context. There will continue to be regionalised distribution of provision across the
main discipline areas at each of the major sites and programme provision up to level 8 and specific
taught programmes at level 9 will be available at each major site. The current research strengths of
the existing Institutes at Levels 9 and 10 will be built upon and enhanced.
Munster Technological University will maximise the use of modern technology which will be
embedded in the routine processes of the University for teaching, research activity, partnership
collaboration, delivery of services, routine management and administration. This will ensure cost-
effective working and create greater opportunities for stakeholders and staff.
CIT Higher Education Landscape and Technological University Phase 1 Submission to HEA – July 2012
Page 17 of 23
5 Consolidation The HEA Recurrent Grant Allocation Model (RGAM) has calculated that CIT was under-funded by
approximately 7% and the adjustment to the appropriate level of funding is underway on a staged
basis.
Based on RGAM and HEA projections of future funding levels, the size of CIT, its level of activity and
proven record of efficient resource allocation, we are confident that CIT can manage and develop its
current provision while remaining financially viable. However the goal of CIT is to develop its core
mission and to achieve an enhanced level of provision. Therefore we believe that merger, in the
context of designation as the Munster Technological University, is essential to advance our
institutional mission and to develop sufficient scale and scope to allow us to have a significant
national and international profile and impact.
6. Collaboration The National Strategy called for regional higher education clusters aimed at achieving greater
coherence in the national higher education system. However the concept of clusters, and the
collaboration that is inherent therein, need not be confined to regions or the higher education
sector. CIT is of the view that significant benefits can accrue for clusters and collaborations and we
wish to point to three types of collaboration which have and will continue to deliver tangible results
as follows:
National academic collaborations – There are numerous scenarios where institutions with similar
goals (or indeed challenges) can collaborate to a common end. These collaborations can also be
necessary where particular institutions have provision in disciplines which only exist in a small
number of institutions. Art, design, music and certain craft disciplines fall into this category and
there are significant national collaborations in these areas. The various national academic
collaborations in which CIT participates include the following:
CIT is involved in collaborative RDI activities with the Irish Energy Research Centre (IERC),
two SFI strategic research clusters, the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions,
the EU Marie-Curie ITN Network, SFI Walton Fellowships and a range of FP7 programmes.
CIT was involved in many SIF projects including leading the Education in Employment and
the Roadmap for Employment-Academic Partnerships. Many of the collaboration groups
have continued to interact and develop after the formal SIF project was completed.
CIT is involved in a number of IOTI led sector-wide projects including the Bluebrick learning
portal.
CIT was involved in a project with the Universities and DIT to develop a pilot national
student survey.
CIT is involved in national collaborations in art and design, music and craft.
Collaborations with enterprise and other external bodies – At the core of the mission of a
technological university is the degree to which its activities take place outside the institution.
Collaborations which involve enterprises as a clients, partners, suppliers or combinations of these
will be commonplace. CIT already has a history of successfully participating in such collaborations
including:
CIT Higher Education Landscape and Technological University Phase 1 Submission to HEA – July 2012
Page 18 of 23
EMC, Apple and other companies to provide CIT courses and bespoke training to facilitate
upskilling and/or redeployment of the workforce.
EMC, VMWare and government institutions to develop cloud computing infrastructure and
applications for use in the public sector and government.
Cork County and City Councils on projects relating to the Cork Science and Innovation Park,
transport, energy efficiency and water management.
Irish Naval Service to provide non-military education and training to their recruits at the
NMCI.
The GAC group for the provision of maritime training, up-skilling and certification to the
international shipping industry.
Engagement on joint projects with national culture organisations such as the National
Sculpture Factory, the Crawford Gallery and the Lewis Glucksman Gallery.
International collaborations – There is considerable potential for the Irish higher education system
to develop an enhanced international profile which has the potential to deliver significant economic
benefits to the country. Higher education can be traded as a service and this is especially the case in
an English-speaking country as can be seen from the successful international higher education
sectors in the UK and Australia. This enhanced international profile will be one of the key benefits of
the establishment of a Technological University sector. Notwithstanding the challenges inherent in
our current designation CIT has had success in developing fruitful international collaborations
including the following:
CIT has long-standing arrangements with the University of Applied Sciences Darmstadt
which include joint awards and research collaboration, as well as student and staff
exchange.
CIT is a partner, along with Plymouth University, the University of Applied Sciences
Darmstadt and University College Gjovig, in the establishment of the European Graduate
School.
CIT has a number of academic arrangements with the University of Pune which is one of the
largest and prestigious universities in India.
CIT is involved in a number of international initiatives led by the IOTI including the Ontario
Colleges initiative.
CIT has recently signed MOUs with Shanghai University and Tsinghua University in China,
where its main collaborations are in the area of visual art; activities include joint exhibitions
of student, staff and graduate work.
CIT Higher Education Landscape and Technological University Phase 1 Submission to HEA – July 2012
Page 19 of 23
No. No. %
New Entrants (Full-time Undergraduate) 2,109 Undergraduate Graduates 2,750 93%
Postgraduate Graduates 210 7%
Full-time Part-time Total Full-time Part-time Total
Other Enrolments (IoTs only) No. 2 947 949 Other Enrolments (IoTs only) % 0% 100% 8%
Foundation No. 0 0 0 Foundation % 0% 0% 0%
FETAC Cert No. 2 45 47 FETAC Cert % 4% 96% 0%
FETAC Advanced Cert No. 0 902 902 FETAC Advanced Cert % 0% 100% 8%
of which are apprenticeshipsNo. 0 894 894 of which are apprenticeships% 0% 100% 8%
Undergraduate No. 7,779 2,115 9,894 Undergraduate % 79% 21% 86%
Diploma/Cert No. 374 369 743 Diploma/Cert % 50% 50% 6%
Ordinary Degree (L7) No. 3,766 407 4,173 Ordinary Degree (L7) % 90% 10% 36%
Honours Degree (L8) No. 3,621 250 3,871 Honours Degree (L8) % 94% 6% 34%
Occasional No. 18 1,089 1,107 Occasional % 2% 98% 10%
Postgraduate No. 458 238 696 Postgraduate % 66% 34% 6%
Postgrad Diploma/Cert No. 0 4 4 Postgrad Diploma/Cert % 0% 100% 0%
Masters Taught (L9) No. 227 224 451 Masters Taught (L9) % 50% 50% 4%
Masters Research (L9) No. 104 1 105 Masters Research (L9) % 99% 1% 1%
PhD (L10) No. 98 0 98 PhD (L10) % 100% 0% 1%
Occasional No. 29 9 38 Occasional % 76% 24% 0%
Total Enrolments No. 8,239 3,300 11,539 Total Enrolments % 71% 29% 100%
Research & Taught (L9/10) FTE1) 577 Research & Taught (L9/10) % FTE L8 and All PG 13.5%
Research (L9/10) FTE 203 Research (L9/10) % FTE L8 and All PG 4.7%
Research (L10) FTE 98 Research (L10) % FTE L8 and All PG 2.3%
No. % No. %
General Programmes2) 0 General Programmes 0 0%
Education Science 0% Education Science 0 0%
Humanities & Arts 179 8% Humanities & Arts 5 5%
Social Science, Business & Law 413 20% Social Science, Business & Law 6 6%
Science 413 20% Science 45 46%
Engineering, Manufacturing & Construction 438 21% Engineering, Manufacturing & Construction 38 39%
Agriculture & Veterinary 59 3% Agriculture & Veterinary 0 0%
Health & Welfare 249 12% Health & Welfare 4 4%
Services 358 17% Services 0 0%
Combined 0 Combined 0 0%
Total 2,109 100% Total 98 100%
No. % No. %
Flexible Learners (Part-time, Distance, E-Learning) 3,300 29% Mature Entrants (Full-time Undergraduate) 300 14%
International Students (Full-time) 319 3% Estimate: Entrants with Disability (EAS)3) 250 12%
EU 211 66%
Non-EU 108 20%
Non-Progression Rate from 1st to 2nd Year % Level 7 15%
Level 8 15% Level 6 15%
No. 7) % € 0005) %
Core Staff 865 100% Total Income 96,179 100%
Academic Staff 567 67% State Grants 41,035 43%
Support staff 298 33% Fees 29,738 31%
Contract Research & Specialist Staff 77 100% Research Grants & Contracts 15,000 16%
Academic Staff 2 3% Other Income 10,406 11%
Support staff 75 97% Total Expenditure 94,542 100%
Total Staff 942 100% Core - Pay 61,433 65%
Total Academic 569 60% Core - Non-Pay 18,109 19%
Total Support 373 40% Research Grants & Contracts - Pay 5,200 6%
Research Grants & Contracts - Non-Pay 9,800 10%
Academic/Non-Academic Staff Ratio (Core) 1.9 Pay/Non-Pay Expenditure Ratio (incl. Research)5) 2.4 (67/28)
Student/Academic Staff Ratio (FTE/Core) 17.4 Pay/Non-Pay Expenditure Ratio (excl. Research)5) 3.4 (61/18)
Staff Qualifications (Proportion of…) % m²
Full-time Academic Staff with PhD qualification 35% Net Space per FTE Student 6.1
Full-time Academic Staff with PhD or Masters qu. 85% Gross Space per FTE Student 8.4
All Academic Staff with PhD qualification 30%
All Academic Staff with PhD or Masters qualification 85%
No. No.
Irish Patents Applications6) 4 Licence agreements for development
Spin offs/Campus Companies for development Publications index for development
Invention Disclosures for development Citations index for development
Enrolments
STUDENT NUMBERS
Entrants Graduates
DISCIPLINARY MIX
Full-time Undergraduate New Entrants Full and Part-time PhDs
STUDENT PROFILE
(% of Enrolments) (% of New Entrants)
Estimate: Entrants from Non-Manual, Semi-
and Unskilled Backgrounds (EAS)4) 800 38%
PROGRESSION
STAFF & FINANCIAL DATA
KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER
Appendix A –
Institutional Profile Cork Institute of Technology 2015/16
CIT Higher Education Landscape and Technological University Phase 1 Submission to HEA – July 2012
Page 20 of 23
No. No. %
New Entrants (Full-time Undergraduate) 4,658 Undergraduate Graduates 5,305 92%
Postgraduate Graduates 480 8%
Full-time Part-time Total Full-time Part-time Total
Other Enrolments (IoTs only) No. 215 1,448 1,663 Other Enrolments (IoTs only) % 12.9% 87.1% 7.4%
Foundation No. 0 13 13 Foundation % 0.0% 100.0% 0.1%
Access and Non-3rd Level
Access/Upskilling No. 195 8 203
Access and Non-3rd Level
Access/Upskilling % 96.1% 3.9% 0.9%
FETAC Cert No. 2 66 68 FETAC Cert % 2.9% 97.1% 0.3%
FETAC Advanced Cert No. 18 1,361 1,379 FETAC Advanced Cert % 1.3% 98.7% 6.1%
of which are apprenticeships No. 0 1,353 1,353 of which are apprenticeships % 0.0% 100.0% 6.0%
Undergraduate No. 15,877 3,728 19,604 Undergraduate % 81.0% 19.0% 87.0%
Diploma/Cert No. 1,499 636 2,135 Diploma/Cert % 70.2% 29.8% 9.5%
Ordinary Degree (L7) No. 6,264 801 7,065 Ordinary Degree (L7) % 88.7% 11.3% 31.3%
Honours Degree (L8) No. 7,927 525 8,452 Honours Degree (L8) % 93.8% 6.2% 37.5%
Occasional No. 187 1,766 1,953 Occasional % 9.6% 90.4% 8.7%
Postgraduate No. 774 502 1,276 Postgraduate % 60.7% 39.3% 5.7%
Postgrad Diploma/Cert No. 40 101 141 Postgrad Diploma/Cert % 28.4% 71.6% 0.6%
Masters Taught (L9) No. 318 334 652 Masters Taught (L9) % 48.8% 51.2% 2.9%
Masters Research (L9) No. 242 31 273 Masters Research (L9) % 88.6% 11.4% 1.2%
PhD (L10) No. 145 17 162 PhD (L10) % 89.5% 10.5% 0.7%
Occasional No. 29 19 48 Occasional % 60.8% 39.2% 0.2%
Total Enrolments No. 16,866 5,678 22,544 Total Enrolments % 74.8% 25.2% 100.0%
Research & Taught (L9/10) FTE1) 943 Research & Taught (L9/10) % FTE L8 and All PG 10.4%
Research (L9/10) FTE 411 Research (L9/10) % FTE L8 and All PG 4.5%
Research (L10) FTE 154 Research (L10) % FTE L8 and All PG 1.7%
No. % No. %
General Programmes2) 0 0% General Programmes 0 0%
Education Science 0 0% Education Science 0 0%
Humanities & Arts 542 12% Humanities & Arts 13 8%
Social Science, Business & Law 715 15% Social Science, Business & Law 11 7%
Science, Mathematics & Computing 1011 22% Science 79 49%
Engineering, Manufacturing & Construction 964 21% Engineering, Manufacturing & Construction 49 30%
Agriculture & Veterinary 92 2% Agriculture & Veterinary 2 1%
Health & Welfare 577 12% Health & Welfare 6 4%
Services 757 16% Services 2 1%
Combined 0 0% Combined 0 0%
Total 4,658 100% Total 162 100%
No. % No. %
Flexible Learners (Part-time, Distance, E-Learning) 5,678 25% Mature Entrants (Full-time Undergraduate) 878 19%
International Students (Full-time) 896 4% Estimate: Entrants with Disability (EAS)3) 443 10%
EU 499 56%
Non-EU 397 44%
Non-Progression Rate from 1st to 2nd Year % Level 7 19%
Level 8 13% Level 6 20%
No. % € 0005) %
Core Staff 1,753 92% Total Income 195,356 100%
Academic Staff 1,150 61% State Grants 84,018 43%
Support staff 603 32% Fees 60,951 31%
Contract Research & Specialist Staff 146 8% Research Grants & Contracts 25,538 13%
Academic Staff 26 1% Other Income 24,849 13%
Support staff 120 6% Total Expenditure 191,168 100%
Total Staff 1,899 100% Core - Pay 122,639 64%
Total Academic 1,176 62% Core - Non-Pay 43,983 23%
Total Support 723 38% Research Grants & Contracts - Pay 10,564 6%
Research Grants & Contracts - Non-Pay 13,982 7%
Academic/Non-Academic Staff Ratio (Core) 1.9 1.625881 Pay/Non-Pay Expenditure Ratio (incl. Research) 2.3
Student/Academic Staff Ratio (FTE/Core) 17.1 0.052165 Pay/Non-Pay Expenditure Ratio (excl. Research) 2.8
Staff Qualifications (Proportion of…) % m²
Full-time Academic Staff with PhD qualification 29% Net Space per FTE Student 7.4
Full-time Academic Staff with PhD or Masters qu. 87% Gross Space per FTE Student 9.9
All Academic Staff with PhD qualification 26%
All Academic Staff with PhD or Masters qualification 86%
No. No.
Irish Patents Applications 5) 8 Licence agreements for development
Spin offs/Campus Companies for development Publications index for development
Invention Disclosures for development Citations index for development
STUDENT NUMBERS
Entrants Graduates
32%
PROGRESSION
STAFF & FINANCIAL DATA
KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER
Enrolments
DISCIPLINARY MIX
Full-time Undergraduate New Entrants Full and Part-time PhDs
STUDENT PROFILE
(% of Enrolments) (% of New Entrants)
Estimate: Entrants from Non-Manual, Semi-
and Unskilled Backgrounds (EAS)4) 1,477
Institutional Profile Munster Technological University (MTU) 2015/16
CIT Higher Education Landscape and Technological University Phase 1 Submission to HEA – July 2012
Page 21 of 23
Appendix B – MTU and Munster
MTU Campuses distributed across the Province of Munster
CIT Higher Education Landscape and Technological University Phase 1 Submission to HEA – July 2012
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MTU student catchment according to HEA 2010/11 data for CIT, IT Tralee and LIT
CIT Higher Education Landscape and Technological University Phase 1 Submission to HEA – July 2012
Page 23 of 23
CSO Regional Economic Data 2009 (published January 2012)Error! Bookmark not
defined.
GVA Population Persons at
work
GVA Population Persons
at work
Region (€m) (000) (000) (% ) (% ) (%)
Border, Midland and
Western 27,183 1,204 497 18.7 27.0 25.6
Border 11,252 502 195 7.8 11.3 10.0
Midland 5,709 271 109 3.9 6.1 5.6
West 10,223 431 193 7.1 9.7 10.0
Southern and Eastern 117,803 3,256 1,442 81.3 73.0 74.4
Dublin 58,119 1,212 562 40.1 27.2 29.0
Mid East 12,507 526 236 8.6 11.8 12.2
Dublin plus Mid East 70,626 1,737 798 48.7 39.0 41.2
Mid West 10,296 374 157 7.1 8.4 8.1
South East 11,023 497 203 7.6 11.1 10.5
South West 25,857 648 284 17.8 14.5 14.6
State 144,986 4,460 1,938 100.0 100.0 100.0
MTU Region *
(South West + Mid West) 36,153 1022 441 24.9 22.9 22.7
* MTU Region defined as South West (Kerry, Cork) and Mid West (Limerick, Clare, North Tipperary).
South Tipperary would also be a significant part of the MTU region and catchment but it was not
possible to extract this from the published data because South Tipperary data is embedded in the
data presented for the South East region.
Note: GVA = Gross Value Added - GDP and GVA are the same concept i.e. they measure the value of
the goods and services (or part thereof) which are produced within a region or country. GDP is
valued at market prices and hence includes taxes charged and excludes the value of subsidies
provided. GVA at basic prices on the other hand excludes product taxes and includes product
subsidies.