11 June, 2024

Highlights from the University Industry Innovation Network (UIIN) Conference in Madrid! 

From May 27th-29th, the beautiful city of Madrid hosted the prestigious UIIN Conference, which was widely attended including our own Dr.Phil O'Leary, Laura O’Donovan and Dr.Kieran Delaney on behalf of Munster Technological University. The theme for this year, "Shaping the Future of Talent and Innovation", resonated throughout the conference, highlighting the importance of innovative approaches in education and beyond.

We are proud to announce that MTU alongside the University of Copenhagen and the University of Adelaide was recognized for more than a decade-long participation at this influential event. A special mention was made by Arno Meerman CEO at UIIN, to recognise Prof. Irene Sheridan on behalf of MTU Extended Campus for her continuous commitment.

The conference aim was to explore the shift towards mutually beneficial, strategic university-industry partnerships to meet the global competition for talent, and consider innovation, future skills and sustainability in that. The conference brought case studies, research, panel discussions and workshops.

Laura delivered an insightful presentation on "Career Pathways and Skills for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Academics", shedding light on the crucial skills needed for the future.

Phil shared insights from her co-authored paper with Ann Ledwith and Lucy Hearne, titled "A Grounded Theory Study of the Values, Beliefs, and Assumptions in the Recognition of Prior Learning", in conjunction with her theme "Beyond the Classroom: Entrepreneurial Intention and Decision-Making".

Kieran also spoke on behalf of colleagues Claire O'Brien  Elizabeth O'Meara, Dr. David Healy and Ruth Fox on ‘Building Innovative Engagement and Co-design initiatives with Industry’