Lit – Research Development & Innnovation
During the last internal affairs meeting of the EUREC College of Members, 9 June 2020, EUREC Board, members and Secretariat welcomed Limerick Institute of Technology – LIT, as new EUREC members. LIT origins take place in 1852 althought it is in 1997 when the former Limerick Regional Technical College becomes Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT). LIT is specialised in education, research, development and Innovation.
Research at LIT
Research within LIT occurs through 14 dedicated centres and groups encompassing a wide variety of disciplines from Fine Art and Design, to Social Sciences, Biotechnology, Interactive Systems, Energy Management, and Sustainable Development. The research centres and groups all have a focus on developing niche areas of expertise to attract international researchers and external funding to provide innovative products and processes for LITs industry partners and develop postgraduate research opportunities.
Development at LIT
The Development Unit is dedicated to implementing LITs vision of supporting individuals, companies and industries in the Mid-West to achieve social, economic and environmental changes through applying its expertise in a collaborative manner. With focus on sustainable energy, climate action, social enterprise, rural development and technology for education, LIT team leads and partners in projects and activities while working closely with academic staff and experts across the Institute.
LIT has a particular strength in securing funding from an array of EU programmes (H2020, Interreg, Erasmus+, COSME and others) both as coordinators and as partners/co-beneficiaries. Our dynamic team has extensive experience in proposal development and work in an agile environment to respond to specific partnership needs and requirements.
Innovation & Enterprise at LIT
LIT provides support to innovation and enterprise in the region using a wide variety of tools. Together, these mechanisms form the LIT Enterprise Ladder. The Enterprise Ladder is a unique approach to the provision of support to enterprise, through which the resources of the Institute – academic, research, facilities and finance – are combined together in an integrated way to make the right type of support available to an enterprise in the right way at the right time. Innovation & Enterprise at LIT and its enterprise support activities are under the direction of the Institute’s Head of Innovation & Enterprise Manager, Gillian Barry.
Education at LIT
Regarding LIT’s educational activities, LIT trains from undergraduate students to PHDs students in a wide variety of fields, including engineering, environmental science and science. Limerick Institute of Technology is home to over 6,500 students across vibrant campuses in Limerick city, Thurles, Clonmel and Ennis, offering lively and enjoyable student experiences. They are also currently developing a new state of the art engineering focussed campus at Coonagh in Limerick.
EUREC looks forward to further extend our collaboration with LIT through our policy target activities to move forward the transition towards a sustainable energy system; through our projects, involving all renewable energy technologies; and through our educational activities, needed to train the renewable enrgy workforce of the future.