Technological University of the Shannon (TUS ) has taken top honours at the national Education Awards, held in the Naas, County Kildare, recently.
Defeating notable competitors including UL, MTU, and UG, TUS secured the coveted Best Industry/Business - Academic Collaboration accolade for its innovative Athlone Campus Digital Speaker Series.
The success didn’t end there for TUS, as its International Office clinched a remarkable double victory by securing the Best Student Experience Award and the International Engagement Award, recognising the exceptional contributions of non-academic staff to international education within third-level institutions.
The Education Awards annually spotlight Ireland’s trailblazing educators and companies pushing the boundaries of excellence in the education sector.
The recognition of TUS’s Digital Speaker Series underscores TUS’s commitment to fostering partnerships between academia and industry.
Launched amidst the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic in February 2021 by TUS Athlone lecturers Daniel Seery and Eugene Pettit, the Digital Speaker Series has provided students with unparalleled opportunities to interact with leading industry professionals in the digital marketing arena, facilitating learning, networking, and collaboration on a national and global scale.
Since its inception, the series has attracted illustrious brands such as The Coca-Cola Company, Adidas, Gym+Coffee, and TikTok, drawing over 1,500 attendees including TUS students, secondary school students, FETAC students, and local industry representatives through the Athlone Chamber of Commerce.
Dr Alison Sheridan, Head of Department, Business and Management at TUS Athlone, hailed the win as a testament to TUS’s innovative teaching approach.
“This is a wonderful endorsement of the work associated with our successful Digital Speaker series. This initiative showcases the innovative approach adopted by the department to further embed industry partners within the programme. It offers students direct exposure to industry experts and professionals to experience best practice in digital marketing while also inspiring them to pursue high profile and rewarding careers within a dynamic and competitive industry,” Dr Sheridan said.
TUS Global, the university’s international arm with a network of more than 200 collaborators, has recently expanded into Latin America and formed partnerships with universities in Mexico and Brazil, underscoring its dedication to fostering international collaborations, enriching the academic experience for students from diverse backgrounds.
TUS’s international offices are based in Athlone and Limerick, with international student liaison offices located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; New Delhi, India; Shanghai, China; Lagos, Nigeria; and now in Mexico City.
“We are deeply honoured to receive these two prestigious awards from the Education Awards 2024 Ireland. This recognition reaffirms our conscious decision last year to invest in ensuring our student experience was a priority for the TUS team. We are dedicated to providing exceptional education and experiences for our students, both locally and internationally,” TUS Vice President for International Donnacha McNamara, concluded.
