About Us
The Shannon Consortium, consisting of the University of Limerick (UL), Limerick IT (LIT), IT Tralee (ITT) and Mary Immaculate College (MIC), was formed in the context of SIF Cycle I in 2006. The Consortium's vision is to transform the Higher Education landscape in the region with each partner contributing according to its distinctive, yet complementary, strengths. This integrated approach, which spans the full spectrum of higher education institutions (a university, a teacher education institution and two institutes of technology), is distinctive and lends depth to the OECD 2004 recommendation that, under a single authority, educational provision for a widening student base should be safeguarded.
The aims of the Consortium are to co-ordinate and develop specific innovations in the region, thus achieving a greater impact on students and staff than is possible by any individual institution acting alone. Collaborative action is key to ensuring economies of scale across the Consortium.
The Consortium liaises with other educational stakeholders in the region such as the Vocational Education Committees and adult learning providers to ensure a coherent and focused approach to advancing the social and economic goals of the region, which encompasses the Limerick-Shannon Gateway and the Tralee-Killarney Hubs.
The Shannon Consortium was awarded a grant of €9.6 million for a range of educational innovations under SIF 1. The activities of the Consortium will make it easier for students from marginalised and under-represented communities to gain access to higher education, to gain relevant qualifications and to enjoy productive careers as active members of our society. In addition, the partners within the Consortium will put in place a range of learner support programmes designed to help the region's 14,000 students progress through their third-level education, with a focus on student learning needs and styles, delivery of programmes in ways that suit lifelong learners and specific support measures across the Region in areas such as Mathematics, Languages and Science. Fourth Level initiatives will also be supported through SIF which will further help Ireland play its part in the Knowledge Economy.
Pictured in front of the Shannon river at UL are (from left to right) Mr. Michael Carmody, President IT Tralee, Dr. Maria Hinfelaar, Director of Limerick IT, Dr. Peadar Cremin, President, Mary Immaculate College, and Professor Don Barry, President, University of Limerick.
The additional SIF 2 award of €12.5 million in 2008 comprises of 4 additonal project strands namely:
- Strand 1: The Regional learning Gateway
- Strand 2: Innovation in Teaching and Learning Support
- Strand 3: Shannon Consortium Procurement Network
- Strand 4: Shannon Consortium Library Network
The projects are innovative, they involve substantial collaboration, and they support the delivery of core activities and will shape future development in UL and its partners. The strategic scope of Shannon Consortium activity proposed under SIF Cycle 2 builds on many of the achievements outlined in Cycle I. As in Cycle 1, UL will be the contact institution for overall co-ordination, with the management of projects being shared amongst the partners. The governance structure established during Cycle 1 will be continued in Cycle 2: the Shannon Consortium Steering Committee (comprising senior officers of Consortium institutions); project management teams: and regular progress reporting and monitoring of expenditure.