Atlantic Technological University (ATU) quality review published

Atlantic Technological University (ATU) has successfully completed the CINNTE review process in 2024. ATU are the final TU, and public HEI, to undergo the process. The review, conducted by an independent team of experts appointed by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), provided a thorough evaluation of the effectiveness of ATU's quality assurance processes since its establishment in April 2022. The report underlines ATU's commitment to quality assurance, governance, and its strategic vision for the future.

Top 5 commendations

The review team made several important commendations to further enhance ATU's development. The top five commendations are as follows:

1. Thoroughness of the institutional self-evaluation report: The review team commended ATU on the thoroughness of its Institutional Self-Evaluation Report (ISER) and its supporting documentation, which details the comprehensive approach taken overall to quality assurance and enhancement at a time of change and integration.
2. Speed and extent of policy development: The review team commended ATU for the speed and extent of policy development and the extent of consultation and engagement in the production of the ISER and the new policy framework, which has been broad and deep.
3. Effectiveness of Student Support Services: The review team commended ATU for the effectiveness of its Student Support Services, including the proactive approach of its disability services, induction initiatives for mature students and neurodiverse students that aid a smooth transition into university life, and the effective use of students through peer-assisted learning initiatives online and in person. Also commended is the ATU Global Team’s comprehensive support, including providing priority accommodation schemes, airport pickups, and tailored inductions.
4. Fostering diverse and effective external partnerships: The review team commended ATU for fostering diverse and effective external partnerships with a range of stakeholders, including regional bodies, employers, collaborative education partners, and Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRBs).
5. Collegiality of staff and students: The review team commended the collegiality of ATU’s staff and students and their commitment to the common purpose of ATU, which was evident throughout the review visit.

Top 5 recommendations

Key recommendations aimed at enhancing the institution's quality assurance and overall effectiveness include:

1. Audit of student voice matters: The review team recommends that ATU conducts a full audit of student voice matters across all provisions to ensure effective collection and analysis of feedback and to close the loop back to students.
2. Review of structures: The review team recommends that ATU undertakes a review of its structures with the aim of simplification and enabling greater accountability, clarity of delegated authority, efficiency, and pace of decision-making.
3. Commissioning enhancement activity: The review team recommends that ATU clarifies processes for commissioning enhancement activity against its strategy, evaluating it, and turning it into common practice in learning and teaching.
4. Support for academics in training: The review team recommends that ATU reviews its processes for ensuring that all academics who are teaching students are adequately supported in training and considers whether moving from encouragement to incentivised engagement is the way forward, particularly if mandating training is not possible.
5. Consolidation of strategy: The review team recommends that ATU aims to consolidate strategy and the underpinning key principles and actions that drive improvements in learning and teaching, quality, assessment, and enhancement, and avoid the risk that they are too widely dispersed.

Dr Orla Flynn, President of ATU commented “The CINNTE Institutional Review is an important milestone for ATU, the first such review since our designation as a Technological University on the April 1, 2022. Through the self-evaluation process, the CINNTE Review has provided an important reference point for us to assess our quality assurance and enhancement framework.

Preparation for the Institutional Review was undertaken simultaneously with the development and approval of our Strategic Plan (2024-2028), with both activities requiring extensive internal and external engagement along with a careful reflection on our mission, vision, and values. I was especially delighted to see the Review Team’s recognition of the ‘collegiality of ATU’s staff and students and the commitment to the common purpose of ATU which was evident throughout the review visit.’

As we approach the third anniversary of our formation, we continue to work hard on the necessary transformations required. I want to thank the Review Team for their rigorous engagement with us and for their constructive and positive feedback. We accept and welcome all the recommendations contained in the CINNTE report. I would also like to express my thanks to QQI and to all those who engaged in this process, including students and staff from across ATU, members of our Governing Body and external stakeholders.”

Dr Benjamin Calvert, Vice Chancellor at University of South Wales, chaired the ATU review team commented: “Formed in 2022 after the merger of three institutions, Atlantic Technical University (ATU) an organisation of scale, reach and impact. With over 26,000 across undergraduate and postgraduate provision and many examples of significant industry partnerships, ATU makes a real and tangible impact in its place. Its offer has breadth and depth. It is on a significant journey of renewal and ambition, based on its Strategic Plan, Shaping the Future Together. Led by an inspiring leadership team who have made significant and early progress in systems and quality integration, with evidence of innovative learning and teaching practice, the panel were impressed by the progress that ATU had made towards creating a single University culture and identity. The ATU strategy is aspirational and sets out a path to growth and development based on core values that the review panel saw in action. Particularly, the collaborative nature of ATU internally and externally and a culture of ambition. Particularly, but not exclusively, ambition for learner success. Merger is no small task. ATU has created teams that are integrated and have driven significant alignment in policy and practice over a short period of time, albeit with more to do.

Throughout the review visit we met staff and students who were positive and clear about the purpose of ATU, its strengths and its remaining journey of enhancement and improvement, in particular further integration of data to inform decision making, and coherence and consistency in enhancement aligned to strategic intention. What is clear, however, is that the appetite to achieve excellence is high. We met motivated staff keen to tell their stories of enhancement, improvement and impact. We met teams who were well connected and working coherently. And we met a leadership team, under the guidance of an inspirational Principal, capable of driving change. The panel were impressed too at the nature and quality of partnerships and the effective management of them. ATU will play an important regional role, not just in developing talent and a skills pipeline aligned to the regional economy, but through research that will foster innovation and growth. It was clear that ATU takes this role very seriously and is viewed by external organisations and businesses as a trusted and reliable partner.

The review includes several commendations and recommendations. On the latter the panel is confident that ATU understands that it is on a journey. Given that the institution is new, this is to be expected. What was commendable was how open the team are to challenge and to suggestion. The culture felt in open, and receptive to learning. The process of the review was therefore one in which ATU engaged critically and with the intention to use the findings to grow and develop. That is an excellent foundation on which to build and suggests confidence in the talent of the ATU community.

On behalf of the review team, I wish to express my thanks to Dr Orla Flynn and her team at ATU for their facilitation of the visit, the excellent quality of dialogue throughout, and the open and constructive nature of their engagement with the panel. We very much enjoyed our visit to ATU and look forward to seeing progress into the future.”

Clíona Curley, QQI Interim Chief Executive Officer noted: "QQI's CINNTE review cycle is necessary for maintaining and monitoring the quality of higher education in Ireland. We value the review team's findings, which highlight ATU's significant achievements in quality assurance, policy development, and the establishment of strong, strategic partnerships. The report also provides valuable recommendations that will help support ATU in carrying out its strategy and further amplifying and effectively harnessing Student Voice in ATU, to enhance its educational offerings and attain best outcomes for its students." 

Atlantic Technological University (ATU) was established on 1 April 2022 as a technological university following the merger of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT), Institute of Technology, Sligo (IT Sligo), and Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT). ATU is a multi-campus university with sites across Donegal, Galway, Mayo, and Sligo.