Two third-level institutions – NUI Galway and University of Limerick (UL) – have joined forces to launch MSc programmes to address Ireland’s strategic research and development (R&D) requirements.
The programmes – MSc Finance and Information Systems and MSc Sustainable Resource Management: Policy and Practice – are the first joint programmes to be delivered through an Irish university alliance.
Open to finance and economics graduates keen to upskill, the MSc Finance and Information Systems programme is going to be delivered jointly by the Kemmy Business School, UL, and the J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, NUI Galway.
The programme aims to provide essential ICT technical skills, but equally aims to deliver the financial management skills and financial decision-making acumen critical for employees in the targeted industrial sectors and core to the success of Ireland’s future economic growth.
Addressing skills shortages
Prof Donal Dineen, dean of the Kemmy Business School, UL, said the skill shortages being addressed by this MSc were “critical to the requirements of the emerging smart economy in Ireland”.
Meanwhile, the MSc Sustainable Resource Management: Policy and Practice has been developed in response to market demand for graduates with technical knowledge of the environmental sector plus an understanding of the range of policies implemented in Ireland and elsewhere which will enhance our performance in advancing our green economy.
As part of the research-led programme, UL is offering modules on material flow analysis and urban sustainability, while NUI Galway is delivering modules on landscape and habitat conservation.
Graduates will acquire translational and multidisciplinary skills in the environmental entrepreneurship and sustainability sector enabling them to take on managerial roles within an industrial/corporate setting, or within a regulatory body or consultancy firm.
Careers such as sustainability officers, ecological consultants and environmental advisers exist within public and private sectors in Ireland and elsewhere. In addition, there may be opportunities for further research leading to the degree of PhD.
Established in 2010, the NUI Galway – UL Strategic Alliance has established a number of joint programmes and shared modules which provide students with a unique opportunity to gain access to the research and teaching of two of Ireland’s leading institutions.
Photo: NUI Galway
