Mr Lionel Alexander, Chair of the IT Tralee Governing Body formally launched the IT Tralee Strategic Plan: A Vision to 2021 on Wednesday 27^th September at the IT Tralee North Campus. The plan commenced development in late 2016 and has taken shape through consultation with the Institute’s staff, students and external stakeholders. This new Strategic Plan, the Institute’s sixth strategic plan, was developed with a keen focus on the regional, national and global context of Higher Education. The Institute’s vision statement has been recalibrated reflecting this context - “IT Tralee will play a transformative role, within the region and beyond. This will be achieved through the creative pursuit of excellence in teaching, learning, research, and innovation. This will be realised within an environment of sustainability, fellowship and inclusivity.”

Taking into account achievements to date and the ambitious plans the Institute has developed for the future, the Institute has now identified five key Strategic Goals; Sustainability and Growth, Teaching, Learning and Graduate Readiness, Research and Innovation, Fellowship and Inclusivity and Establishment of Munster Technological University (MTU). The next five years will see many developments including a 13% increase in students, an increase of €8m in research collaboration and activities and attainment of Technological University status leading to the establishment of the MTU. This ambitious plan will also see the delivery of the IT Tralee North Campus Master Plan valued at €64m to include a dedicated STEM building, a Research building, a Student Residential Complex, a Student Facilities Hub and an extension to the Business Incubation Centre. These goals have been determined taking into account the increasingly competitive third level education environment, national and international trends in Higher Education and potential areas of strategic growth and development for the Institute. The delivery of this strategic plan will ensure that the Institute remains at the forefront of developments across the Higher Education sector.

Speaking at the launch Mr Lionel Alexander, Chair of the IT Tralee Governing Body said, “As Chair of the Governing Body, I am delighted to launch this Strategic Plan to 2021. On behalf of the President Dr Murphy and myself, we would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to staff, students and external stakeholders for their time and contribution to the development of the plan.  The ethos underpinning the Institute of Technology Tralee strategic plan is that it is a living document. To reinforce this, it will be reviewed by the Institute’s Governing Body biannually to ensure that the strategy remains relevant and that the goals within this plan are achieved.”

Dr Oliver Murphy, President of Ireland added, “One of the key goals specified in this plan is the establishment of the Munster Technological University (MTU). The Munster Technological University will serve as a catalyst in the future development of the region and will provide the necessary human capital required to ensure sustainable economic, social and cultural development. The Economic Impact Study undertaken as part of the Business Case for establishing the MTU demonstrated that the new University will deliver an additional €58m per annum to the region realising a combined impact of MTU in excess of €285m per annum to the Southwest”.

The Institute’s Strategic Plan can be viewed in English or Irish at http://www.ittralee.ie/en/InformationAbout/ProceduresPlansandReports/