If you’ve been deliberating over your future study destination and potential university, we can help. It’s time to think about studying in Ireland. The country has ten universities in the top 500 globally and is known for its warmth and hospitality. The question is, what type of Irish institution would suit you best? A Technological University could be the answer. We explain what these institutions are, what you can study, and the career options you could enjoy.
What is a Technological University?
You may think a Technological University is the same as any other university. But there are some surprising differences.
A Technological University offers exactly the same level of qualifications as traditional, research-led universities but, importantly, it provides an educational experience in smaller class groups that equips you with practical, industry-relevant skills alongside key knowledge of your subject area. It’s all about getting you ready for a professional career.
Technological Universities also often have close industry links and research partnerships. For example, the South East Technological University has over 100 partner institutions across the EU and actively participates in the Erasmus exchange scheme. Further, the university includes work experience and internships in some of its programmes.
Explore what international students had to say about studying at SETU.
How were these institutions created in Ireland?
You’re probably wondering about the history of Technological Universities in Ireland. They seem quite new, however actually have a long history of teaching and learning as Institutes of Technology dating back to the 1960s.
In 2018 the government of Ireland introduced legislation known as the Technological Universities Act, allowing Institutes of Technology to merge and become Technological Universities. There are currently five Technological Universities in Ireland, formed from the original 14 institutes of technology.
That’s why you may have heard some institutions referred to by different names. In the case of South East Technological University, the institution was formed by the merger of IT Carlow and Waterford IT and came into existence in 2022.
What do Technological Universities offer?
To discover what Technological Universities offer international students it’s best to use a practical example. We’ve chosen to look at South East Technological University (SETU) as the exemplar. If you chose to study at SETU, you get:
- A wide selection of over 140 undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
- An International Foundation Programme for progression to full degree study.
- Courses in business; health and medicine; science; social science; humanities; engineering; and architecture.
- Project-based learning, including with industry professionals.
- Research-informed teaching from subject specialists and experts.
- Lectures, workshops, events, internships, and work experience within industry, gaining experience from professionals.
- Personal and professional development and support, including seminars, counselling, workshops, and training.
- Extracurricular activities from cultural societies to sport.
- International student support for everything from accommodation to health.
- Accreditation with professional bodies in certain fields once you qualify.
SETU also has excellent facilities across their two main campuses, including gyms, libraries, and a range of laboratories and workshops including a product design suite and a television studio.
What is an example of a degree I could study?
To give you an idea of what studying for a degree at a Technological University may be like, we’re looking at the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Aerospace Engineering. The degree takes four years to complete with a structure aiming to integrate your study into a real-world aviation environment. How? Well, SETU has an aerospace centre with:
- A wind tunnel for aerofoil analysis
- A flight simulator
- Industry-standard design tools (MATLAB; ANSYS)
- Fixed and rotary-wing aircraft
- Avionics Laboratory
What will you learn? The degree will equip you with knowledge in:
- Propulsion
- Aerodynamics
- Engineering Mathematics
- Advanced materials
- Flight mechanics
- Flight dynamics
- Aircraft computing
- Control systems
- Management
As you can see, the curriculum is structured to prepare you to step into an engineering role once you have graduated. A balance between theory, knowledge and skills.
What are the graduate and work options like?
With an education aimed at preparing you for the workplace, a degree from a Technological University holds value with industry and employers. The good news is that in 2022 just over 82 per cent of graduates in Ireland found work within nine months of graduation, according to statistics from the Higher Education Authority.
75 per cent of students graduating in Ireland with an undergraduate honour’s degree gained employment in less than nine months. In addition, only four per cent of graduates didn’t secure work after graduating. If you study at postgraduate qualification, the statistics reveal a 90 per cent employment rate nine months after graduation.
In addition, many students who graduate in Ireland choose to stay in the country and apply for the third level graduate programme. Data shows that almost 91 per cent of students with undergraduate degrees remain to work in Ireland, with Dublin, Cork and Galway being the most popular cities. It’s little wonder considering that some of the biggest companies in the world have their European headquarters in Ireland, including:
- Meta
- Airbnb
- Microsoft
Now that you have a better idea of what’s on offer at Technological Universities in Ireland and your options, you may want to explore further. You can read more about what Ireland offers international students, how to apply to study in Ireland, and how much it costs to study in Ireland.
Chat with Couru
