LIT is the Institute of Technology of the Year

Staff and students at LIT were celebrating this week upon hearing the news that Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) is The Sunday Times Institute of Technology of the Year. The 2013 University Guide supplement published on Sunday, is the definitive guide to Higher Education in Ireland and the UK. Each year, third level institutions across Ireland and the UK are measured against six key indicators such as Leaving Certificate points for entry, top degrees awarded, graduate job prospects and income generated from research.

Of the fourteen Institutes of Technology in Ireland, LIT, having jumped eight places in the league table has come out on top, while University College Dublin (UCD) has been awarded The Sunday Times University of the Year.

In announcing the results The Sunday Times commented that LIT “attracts high-calibre students and has a low dropout rate across its five campuses in Limerick, Tipperary and Clare.”

This award caps an impressive year for LIT with the award winning LIT School of Art & Design named as one of the top 50 fashion departments worldwide in an independent US guide earlier in the year. Under the new strategic plan, LIT has seen major growth in the number of international students attending and there are now 88 nationalities represented in the LIT student body, representing about 15% of all students. Research activity at LIT is developing rapidly with LIT one of the top 5 IOT’s in terms of the amount of total research funding it secures per academic, and the impressive impact of LIT’s enterprise centres on innovation and employment throughout the region is well-known.

The Institute of Technology of the year award follows LIT’s recent unveiling of its €200m plus ‘Campus 2030 Masterplan’. The plan represents a significant stimulus for the Limerick and Mid-West region’s economy and is in response to unprecedented growth across LIT discipline areas such as Art and Design, Engineering and Humanities.

LIT’s President Dr Maria Hinfelaar expressed delight at the news. “LIT is the top Irish Institute of Technology for the 2nd time in 4 years! This is a fantastic performance and a tribute to all staff and students. The Sunday Times also commented on our successful merger with the Tipperary Institute, which has transformed LIT into a multi-campus institution with a presence in Limerick City, Thurles and Clonmel in Tipperary and Ennis in Clare. I am sure that this integration has contributed positively to winning the accolade of IOT of the Year.” At a celebration with staff and students this week LIT Student’s Union President Niamh Kavanagh said, “It is a wonderful achievement for LIT to be named Institute of the year 2013. This achievement reflects the hard work by both students and staff"

For further information contact:
Mona Khan,
Presidents Office,
Limerick Institute of Technology
y Phone: +353-61-208208
Direct Line: +353-61-208454