LYIT Project Manager Dr Seán Duffy has been appointed as leader of the Connacht-Ulster Alliance’s mission to create a Technological University (TU).
GMIT, IT Sligo and Letterkenny IT are aiming to secure university status by becoming a Technological University (TU) for the West/North West with eight campuses stretching from Letterkenny to Galway.
Dr Seán Duffy will hold the position of CUA Executive Project Lead as the alliance moves forward in 2020.
Dr Duffy, originally from Sligo, will oversee the progress of the CUA project by bringing dedicated, strategic and executive day to day leadership to ensure the achievement of the CUA’s ambition.
Dr Duffy has over 25 years’ education management experience in the third-level sector.
He held the post of Head of School of Tourism at Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT) for eleven years and Head of Department for seven years.
In 2018, he was appointed LYIT CUA Project Manager, leading the €2.85m HEA-funded iNOTE Project, a collaborative initiative to develop innovative digital opportunities which will transform higher education in the West and North-West of Ireland.
Commenting on his appointment, Dr Duffy says: “Being involved in the development of the new Technological University for the West and North-West is an exciting opportunity as it will be a gamechanger in terms of higher education in the region, I look forward to working with colleagues across the three Institutes on this project”.
Dr Duffy holds a PhD from the University of Limerick, MSc (Distinction) from Ulster University and a BA (Hons) from GMIT, formerly RTC Galway. Prior to joining LYIT he worked as Director of the International Hotel and Tourism Management Institute, Lucerne, Switzerland for six years. He has been actively involved in promoting the tourism and hospitality sector and regional development in Ireland for 20 years.
Dr Duffy brings significant change management experience to the position which was gained from playing a key role in the management of the amalgamation process, which saw the successful integration of the Tourism College Killybegs (TCK) with Letterkenny Institute of Technology in 2007.
The Presidents of GMIT, IT Sligo and LYIT, Dr Orla Flynn, Brendan McCormack and Paul Hannigan, said “We are delighted to have appointed someone of Sean’s calibre to lead the TU ambition for the Connacht-Ulster Alliance. Sean has great experience of the IT sector together with a strong commitment to bring the three Institutions together as a technological university.”
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