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Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown (ITB) ( ga, Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Baile Bhlainséir) established in 1999, was a third-level institution, now amalgamated into
Technological University Dublin
Technological University Dublin ( ga, Ollscoil Teicneolaíochta Bhaile Átha Cliath) or TU Dublin is Ireland's first technological university, established on 1 January 2019, and with a history stretching back to 1887 through the amalgamated Du ...
.
It was the last-founded
Institute of Technology
An institute of technology (also referred to as: technological university, technical university, university of technology, technological educational institute, technical college, polytechnic university or just polytechnic) is an institution of te ...
in
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
. The campus is located within the Business and Technology Park on
Blanchardstown
Blanchardstown () is a large outer suburb of Dublin in the modern county of Fingal, Ireland. Located northwest of Dublin city centre, it has developed since the 1960s from a small village to a point where Greater Blanchardstown is the largest u ...
Road North, about 15 km from
Dublin City and close to the N3 (Navan Road). This is situated in the
townland
A townland ( ga, baile fearainn; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a small geographical division of land, historically and currently used in Ireland and in the Western Isles in Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of Gaelic orig ...
of Buzzardstown, in the
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authorit ...
of
Mulhuddart
Mulhuddart () is an outer suburb situated 12 km (7.456 miles) north-west of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The River Tolka passes near the village.
Mulhuddart is also a Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish in the Barony (Irelan ...
.
ITB provided full-time and part-time
higher education
Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completi ...
courses in a range of subjects, making awards at levels from
higher certificate
The Higher Certificate (''Ardteastas'' in Irish) is a third level education award at level 6 on the National Framework of Qualifications in the Republic of Ireland
Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a cou ...
, to PhD.
Historic statutes and governance
Statutory basis
The Regional Technical Colleges (Amendment) Act 1999 was enacted by the
Oireachtas in July 1999, putting the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown on the same statutory footing as the twelve other Institutes of Technologies in Ireland already operating under the Regional Technical Colleges Acts 1992 and 1994. The institute also operated under the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act,1999 and the Institutes of Technology Act 2006.
Governance
The institute was overseen by a statutory Governing Body, appointed by the Minister for Education and Science, with representation from the college community, broader local community, business interests and the State. Academic affairs and standards were controlled by the Academic Council.
Delegated Authority
ITB achieved delegated authority in 2006 and had the authority to award qualifications (on behalf of
HETAC
The Higher Education and Training Awards Council ( ga, Comhairle na nDámhachtainí Ardoideachais agus Oiliúna) (HETAC), the legal successor to the ''National Council for Educational Awards'' (NCEA), granted higher education awards in Ireland b ...
)) to those completing courses up to Level 9 of the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).
Management
Management of the institute was led by the President (previously Director), who leads a management team also comprising the Registrar, Secretary and Financial Controller, and Heads of Schools, Departments and other functions (such as the Estates Manager, IT Manager, HR Manager).
Academic structure and courses
Schools and Departments of the Institute
*School of Business & Humanities
** Department of Business
** Department of Humanities
*School of Informatics & Engineering
** Department of Computing and Creative Digital Media
** Department of Engineering
Courses
Full-time and part-time courses were, and are within TUD, offered in Applied Social Studies, Business, Computing, Digital Media, Engineering, Horticulture, Languages, Social and Community Development, Sports Management and Early Childhood Care & Education, with awards made at
higher certificate
The Higher Certificate (''Ardteastas'' in Irish) is a third level education award at level 6 on the National Framework of Qualifications in the Republic of Ireland
Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a cou ...
,
ordinary degree
The British undergraduate degree classification system is a grading structure for undergraduate degrees or bachelor's degrees and integrated master's degrees in the United Kingdom. The system has been applied (sometimes with significant variati ...
,
honours degree
Honours degree has various meanings in the context of different degrees and education systems. Most commonly it refers to a variant of the undergraduate bachelor's degree containing a larger volume of material or a higher standard of study, or ...
,
Master's Degree
A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. and PhD (doctoral research) levels.
Research
The research community at ITB was, and remains within TUD, involved with research and collaboration projects with industry, community organisations and different agencies in the locality. Some of these include National Road Authority, IBM, Intel, Havoc, Wavebob, ESB, Health Service Executive, SMEs on the Innovation Voucher Scheme.
As part of ITB's strategic plan 2006-2011 "Making Education Accessible" ITB established itself as a member of the research community within the third level sector in Ireland. The LINC Centre (Learning and Innovation Centre) is the centre which supports the research activities taking place in the Institute supporting technology transfer activities, applied research links with industry and links to the funding agencies for the research activities in the institute.
Campus
The college had a campus within
Fingal County Council
Fingal County Council ( ga, Comhairle Contae Fhine Gall) is the authority responsible for local government in the county of Fingal, Ireland. It is one of three local authorities that comprised the former Dublin County Council before its abolit ...
's College Business and Technology Park on Blanchardstown Road North, now designated TUD Blanchardstown Campus. The component buildings, with a total area of over 22,000 square metres, and capital cost exceeding €50 million, are:
* A Block: ITB's first building, opened September 1999, contains computing and engineering laboratories, three large lecture theatres and offices for Academic Administration, Finance and Human Resources. It also has the counsellor's office.
* Learning and Innovation Centre (LINC Building / B Block): Built May–October 2001, initially for workshops, and now hosting small business ventures and supporting college-industry links, as well as post-graduate research facilities.
* Multipurpose Building (C Block): Canteen, medical centre, Students' Union, chaplains' offices, sports hall and gym.
* D Block: Apprentice workshops, including electrical, masonry, carpentry and plumbing, as well as maintenance and goods receiving.
* E Block: A two-wing building containing classrooms, science laboratories, language laboratories, two large lecture theatres, most academic staff offices and the student helpdesk.
* F Block: Main entry point, holding the reception, marketing and management offices, and the largest lecture theatre.
* Library: With books primarily related to course work, DVDs and videos, and access to online information in the form of scientific journals, newspapers and databases.
Student life
Sports
The first sporting club was founded in ITB in 1999. Sports clubs in ITB include Gaelic games, soccer, futsal, pool, basketball, swimming, athletics, martial arts, rugby, badminton, boxing, golf, ski and Olympic handball. Many of these clubs compete at the inter varsity level and have won numerous awards.
ITB offers sports scholarships to full-time students to assist them in reaching their potential, both academically and in their chosen sport. In association with the
Leinster GAA there are also a limited number of bursaries awarded to "outstanding" GAA players from Leinster who are registered students of ITB.
Societies
ITB also has a number of societies, including an Ethical Hacker Society, Golf Society, Poker and Music Societies.
Students Union
The Students Union ITBSU has four student board members,
elected every year. Every student who registers at the institute is automatically a member,
with a portion of their registration fee going to the upkeep of the Union. In return every student gets a vote in a
first past the post
In a first-past-the-post electoral system (FPTP or FPP), formally called single-member plurality voting (SMP) when used in single-member districts or informally choose-one voting in contrast to ranked voting, or score voting, voters cast thei ...
system. The Student Union office is located upstairs in the C Block, beside the Common Room. It runs seminars on Student health issues, college outings, information campaigns, and oversees the management of student clubs and societies.
See also
*
Education in the Republic of Ireland
The levels of Ireland's education are primary, secondary and higher (often known as "third-level" or tertiary) education. In recent years further education has grown immensely with 51% of working age adults having completed higher education b ...
*
Third-level education in the Republic of Ireland
Third-level education in the Republic of Ireland includes all education after second-level, encompassing higher education in universities and colleges and further education on Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) and other courses. The degree-awardin ...
References
External links
Official Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown WebsiteOfficial Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown Students' Union Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown
Blanchardstown
Education in Fingal
Blanchardstown, Institute of Technology
Former universities and colleges in the Republic of Ireland
Educational institutions established in 1999
1999 establishments in Ireland
Educational institutions disestablished in 2019
2019 disestablishments in Ireland