The Technological University of the Shannon’s (TUS) expanded Governing Body convened for the first time this week at the university’s Athlone campus.
(Front row L to R) Anne Cusack, John Doyle, Colette Ryan, Professor Vincent Cunnane, Josephine Feehily, Noel Gavin, Brigid Delamere, Cormac Dillon. (Back row L to R) Bill Delaney, George O’Callaghan, John Griffin, Shelley Ann McCarthy Buckingham, Marguerite Doyle, Anne Meagher, Catherine Collins and James Ring pose for historic convening of expanded TUS governing body. Photo: Nathan Cafolla.
This historic meeting follows TUS’s designation as Ireland’s first cross-regional university and third technological university on October 1, 2021.
Speaking at the meeting, TUS President Professor Vincent Cunnane said TUS’s Governing Body would “guide, shape and define” the university’s “bright and ambitious” future.
“Today is another landmark moment for our young technological university, which builds upon the strong heritage of its forebears and whose positive impacts will be felt for generations to come.
“TUS is an agile and adaptable university, with the capabilities and talent to advance higher education in Ireland all the while responding to and pre-empting industrial needs, and, ultimately, strengthening our regions’ social, cultural and economic fabric.
“As we continue to grow and settle into our new identity as a technological university, we must now also begin charting a path to a bright and ambitious future – a future which our governing body will be instrumental in shaping and defining,” he said.
TUS has commenced the process of developing its new strategic plan, a four-year roadmap that will underpin its future direction and priorities.
Shelley Ann McCarthy Buckingham, TUS SU Deputy President of Postgraduate Affairs, and Cormac Dillon, TUS SU (Midwest) Deputy President, are student representatives on TUS’s expanded governing body.
International consultancy firm Mazars has been appointed to assist the technological university and its governing body in this endeavour.
This significant step forward has been welcomed by TUS Governing Body Chairperson Josephine Feehily who said the Governing Body looked forward to the development of a strategic plan for TUS which includes “an ambitious yet achievable vision of what the university would look like in the years to come, and which sets out how TUS intends to realise that vision.”
“Tremendous work has gone on behind the scenes at all levels of the organisation since TUS was established over six months ago – from the integration of systems to the roll-out of the new brand. Now, our expanded Governing Body in place, we look forward to supporting and steering the development of TUS in the challenging but exciting journey ahead,” she added.
Members of the TUS Governing Body will perform key roles in relation to the direction, strategy, and corporate governance of the technological university and are drawn from academia, industry and public life.
The members of the inaugural TUS Governing Body include:
- Josephine Feehily, TUS Governing Body Chairperson
- Professor Vincent Cunnane, TUS President
- Áine Daly, TUS SU President
- Anne Meagher, Staff Representative, TUS
- Brigid Delamere, Staff Representative, TUS
- Catherine Collins, Network Manager, First Polymer Training Skillnet
- Colette Ryan, Senior Director of Commercial Supply Chain, Alkermes
- Cormac Dillon, TUS SU (Midwest) Deputy President
- Dr Anne Cusack, Co-Founder, Critical Healthcare LTD.
- Dr Marguerite Doyle, Managing Director, Heraeus Metal Processing Ltd
- George O’Callaghan, Chief Executive, Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board
- James Ring, CEO, Ingenium Training and Consultancy
- John Doyle, Staff Representative, TUS
- John Griffin, CEO, Ericsson Ireland
- Kevin McLoughlin, Staff Representative, TUS
- Martin Quinn, Social Innovator
- Noel Gavin, Senior Vice President, Northern Trust
- Professor Han Brezet, Eco Design at AAU Aalborg University and Steering Board, RUN-EU (Regional University Network – European Union)
- Shelley Ann McCarthy Buckingham, TUS SU Deputy President of Postgraduate Affairs
- Tony Mahon, Staff Representative, TUS