Online Courses win Taoiseach’s Public Service Excellence Award RSS
28 June 2012
IT Sligo, one of the leading providers of online courses in the country, has received a prestigious “Taoiseach’s Public Service Excellence Award” in recognition of its role in increasing access to higher education for part-time and distance learners through online delivery.
An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD presented the award at a conference in Dublin Castle on June 21 2012.
Speaking about the award Professor Terri Scott, President of IT Sligo paid tribute to staff who pioneered the delivery of online learning to students around the globe, many of whom combine busy careers with distance learning. Professor Scott pointed out that students based in Dublin, Cork, Southampton, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Canada, New Mexico, Arizona, New York, Israel and Holland were among the cohort of IT Sligo students who completed their end of year exams in recent weeks.
“We have an exceptionally talented team of staff who are pioneers in the development and delivery of online learning,” said Professor Scott. “Online learning delivers benefits for staff, students and employers. Everyone wins”.
IT Sligo has worked closely on staff training with a wide range of leading multinational companies including Coca Cola, Masonite International, Abbott Ireland and Baxter. Its collaboration with Merck Sharp Dohme (MSD) based at Brinny, Co Cork and the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research & Training (NIBRT) was recognised earlier this year when the company, received an Outstanding Achievement Award at the 2012 IITD (Irish Institute of Training & Development) Awards ceremony. IT Sligo is providing online education to 67 MSD employees across all levels of the organisation.
Fergal O’Donovan, Director of Technical Services at MSD, has undertaken a Masters in Biopharmaceutical Processing online through IT Sligo. He said: “Continuous education, personnel development and up-skilling are a key enabler to success in today’s competitive environment. Finding the time for professional development and further education is hard in today’s workplace. However, the programmes are of excellent value and greatly facilitate the balance between on-going education and demands in the work place. From personal experience the IT Sligo/NIBRT distant learning programmes are flexible, value add and industry friendly.
Professor Scott stressed that IT Sligo’s comprehensive online education resources were helping individuals as well as multinational companies. “We are pleased to have 235 places on our online programmes approved for funding this year under the Government’s Springboard initiative which covers the fees for successful applicants,” she said.