2008 Press Releases
14.05.2008
The first Annual Report of the National Academy for the Integration of Research and Learning (NAIRTL) was formally launched in UCC today (Wednesday, May 14th 2008).
The launch was preceded by a presentation from Professor Ray Land, Director of the Centre for Academic Practice and Learning Enhancement at the University of Strathclyde. Professor Land's presentation titled "Using Research-Teaching Linkages to Enhance Graduate Attributes: A Sector-Wide Research Project" discussed the work commissioned under this project relating to the progressive development of graduate attributes throughout the continuum of the undergraduate and postgraduate programme. The project considered how best to support the achievement of such attributes in various ways. These include utilising research and creative, scholarly and performance work to inform the curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment activities and the learning environment. This sector-wide study operated at institutional, departmental and curriculum level.
In addition to contributing case studies of innovative practice, Professor Land's study offers a framework to analyse degrees of institutional and departmental readiness to enhance research-related graduate attributes, and a set of barriers likely to impede successful research-teaching linkages, along with strategies for overcoming such barriers.
The Annual Report of the National Academy covers the period from February 2007 to December 2007. The first part of the Report describes the structures and strategy adopted by the National Academy and overviews progress. The second part of the report includes thirty case studies from partner institutions, which illustrate a range of approaches to integrating research with teaching and learning.
To date, the National Academy has organised two highly successful conferences funded by the HEA and the National Development Programme under SIF Cycle 1. The proceedings of the National Academy's November 2007 conference were also launched today. The National Academy partner organisations include Trinity College Dublin, Cork Institute of Technology, Waterford Institute of Technology, University College Cork and National University of Ireland Galway.
The launch follows closely on the heels of the National Academy's symposium on the Bologna process at CIT School of Music held on Monday last, May 12th titled "Will your qualification be recognised? Spotlight on Engineering". NAIRTL was honoured that the newly-appointed Minister for Education and Science, Batt O'Keeffe TD, chose to open the symposium as his first official engagement.
Photographed at the event were: Professor Ray Land, Director of the Centre for Academic Practice and Learning Enhancement, University of Strathclyde, Marian Mc Carthy, Ionad Bairre, Jennifer Murphy, Project Manager, NAIRTL and Dr Betty Higgs, Ionad Bairre, UCC.
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