An Innovation Café facilitated by Michael Meaney where Lego and lateral thinking is an effective combination. Leading industry speakers and experts are regularly featured at postgraduate programmes at LYIT. Mac’s Deli boss Eunan McIntyre must be getting ideas for some new forms of pastries!
A new groundbreaking Masters programme that combines a six month internship and equips graduates with the latest techniques in innovation, is now on offer at Letterkenny IT.
The MSc in Innovation Management with Applied Research is a 16-month taught, Masters degree programme. It is suitable for graduates primarily with a strong technology/science base and includes a ‘live’ research project which they will conduct during a 6-month internship with a successful NW company.
The course is win-win for all involved. Graduates can immediately turn their academic knowledge into real experience while companies can tackle actual research issues in their industry.
The Masters’ students will work closely with the managers and founders of companies in the Northwest, developing innovative products for national and international markets.
Vicky O’Rourke, Programme Lecturer, outlines, “This new Masters programme aims to develop the next generation of innovative thinkers and practitioners. It will be an exciting journey for both students and companies, it’s a tremendous opportunity for a graduate to work close-up with the managers and founders of these innovative companies.”
So far, 10 NW companies from software to food to engineering, with many winning awards for their products and business, have signed up to be part of this Masters. All have a strong track record in driving innovation.
They are: Gartan Technologies: Specialists in staff availability, payroll and roster software, Errigal Food: Seafood producers, Green Pastures: Dairy Food Manufacturer, SL Controls: Global Manufacturing Systems Provider, Macs Deli: Bakery/Food production, Multi-national Financial Services Organisation, SendMode: Mobile Marketing, Uppidee: Process Software and 3D Issue: Developers of bespoke software for the digital publishing industry. Graduates will conduct and develop a research project during their internship, where they will proactively troubleshoot a particular challenge. Each company has identified a specific research project ranging from new product development, market expansion and using new platforms.
Referring to the Masters programme, Head of School of Business Michael Margey is very optimistic.
“The aim of this course is to enhance the innovation and research capability of graduates and to support participating firms in the North West region by developing additional innovation capacity. It provides a unique opportunity for graduates to build excellent experience whilst the companies benefit from latest thinking in Innovation management. It represents genuine innovation in developing trans-disciplinary skills and practice and there’s no other course like it.”
John Andy Bonar, Head of Development explains, “This programme also has particular benefits and synergies for enterprise development in the greater Northwest area, where interns from this programme can significantly add value and enhance the innovation and research capacity of local firms, it’s a key component and link in developing regional innovation and learning ecosystems”
Applications are invited from graduates primarily with a strong technology/science base who would like to translate their academic knowledge into practical experience. The deadline is Friday 31 May, 2013, visit lyit.ie/imar for a full list of companies and research project descriptions or contact Rory McMorrow School of Business Administrator at 074 91 86210.