The president of GMIT, Dr Orla Flynn, has welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, TD, of a grant of €1,067,000 for capital works and equipment in GMIT.
The funding, which is provided through the Higher Education Authority, is part of a €25m package for higher education institutions to provide colleges with the flexibility to address small-scale capital investment and equipment including infrastructure upgrades, ICT, and equipment renewal, and energy-related upgrades. The funding forms part of ongoing investment in the higher education sector under Project Ireland 2040.
Dr Flynn said: “The announcement is very welcome and timely. In GMIT we will be mainly allocating this funding towards upgrading and refurbishing existing facilities across our five campuses, including equipment. We will be looking especially closely at investing in supports for our online teaching and learning."
Minister Harris said this year’s funding is a significant increase in the devolved capital grant for the higher education sector and the extension of the grant to universities for the first time in nearly a decade.
“It is essential that higher education institutions can reinvest in their existing estate, renew and update their equipment, and can make capital investments to respond to developments in online and blended learning.
“Ongoing capital investment is essential to ensuring a high quality academic environment and a positive campus experience for students and staff. This flexible funding complements other targeted capital investments in the sector that will help expand availability of student places and transform campus infrastructure over the coming years.”
Thursday's announcement is in addition to the €168 million package of Covid 19-related supports for further and higher education institutions announced on July 22.
