A record number of attendees visited the Technological University of the Shannon’s (TUS ) Athlone campus for its 2023 undergraduate autumn open days.
With more than 2,200 students registered to attend, in addition to parents, teachers and guidance counsellors, it was the highest turnout for the campus to date.
Attendees travelled from far and wide to be at the event, with 25 counties represented over the two days, as well as from slightly further afield from countries like the Netherlands.
The event featured a wide range of experiences – from ‘walk n’ talk’ tours with faculty to meet and greets with current students across a range of disciplines, general campus tours as well as interactive games and demos designed to give an insight into course disciplines.
For students interested in science, there was a fluorescent microscope experiment, demonstrating breast cancer cells and CHO cells.
Those with a penchant for economics enjoyed a team-based game centred around surviving a zombie apocalypse, which introduced students to basic economic concepts such as scarcity, exchange and opportunity cost.
Attendees interested in law got to play juror at a mock trial, DPP v Sam Beckham, and decide his fate after listening to the prosecution barristers present the State’s case while the defence barristers argued his innocence.
There were also robotics and VR experiences, culinary and food sustainability demonstrations and many others for attendees to enjoy.
TUS President Prof. Vincent Cunnane called the event, which took place on Friday and Saturday last, a great success.
“I’m delighted, though not surprised, at the remarkable turnout at our 2023 undergraduate open days, both here in Athlone and across our Limerick campuses, and look forward to celebrating the remaining open days across the rest of TUS in the coming weeks.
“It is evident that TUS is a university of choice for future students and that our commitment to diverse and interactive applied learning experiences really resonates with prospective students.
“Beyond the numbers, this record-breaking attendance is a testament to the vibrant community we’ve cultivated at TUS, where students can thrive and explore their academic interests with the support they need,” Professor Cunnane said.
Since its inception in October 2021, TUS has gone from strength to strength, with its students claiming the top prizes in national competitions like the Digital Media Awards three years in a row, the National Accounting Competition and CATEX.
The window for CAO applications opens 6 November 2023, with students having the opportunity to submit a CAO application until February 1, 2023.
