The Midlands offers an unrivalled quality of education for learners of all ages, with opportunities ranging from pre-school, third level and life long learning opportunities. Recent years has seen considerable investment in the educational infrastructure, so that facilities throughout the region are amongst the best in the country. Access to third level education has never been as easy with excellent infrastructure that allows daily commutes to Athlone Institute of Technology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Institute of Technology, Carlow, University of Limerick, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin City University, University College Dublin, NUI Maynooth and others.
With more than 250 primary schools and 65 secondary schools in counties Longford, Westmeath, Laois and Offaly, there is an extensive choice for parents to select from. Pupils enjoy a wide range of extra curricular activities, in addition to the core curriculum subjects, and Midlands students have made their mark in national and international debating, scientific, artistic and sporting competitions, to mention just a few. Furthermore, some schools have established international collaborations, including one with leading US University, Georgia Tech.
Life Long Learning
Further Education provision has blossomed in the Midlands over the past decade, and a wide range of courses and opportunities for post-Leaving Certificate students and mature learners are available through FÁS, Offaly County Enterprise Board, Westmeath County Enterprise Board, Laois County Enterprise Board, Longford County Enterprise Board, Laois Partnership Ltd., Offaly Local Development Company and Westmeath Community Development Ltd.
In addition to further education colleges, valuable supports are also available through the Vocational Education Committees (VECs) in each county, Offaly Vocational Education Committee, Westmeath Vocational Education Committee, Laois Vocational Education Committee and Longford Vocational Education Committee.
Training Opportunities
With its training centre located in Athlone, FÁS enhances the skills and competencies of individuals and enterprises in order for Ireland to further develop as a competitive, inclusive, knowledge-based economy. It strives to do this through the provision of tailored training and employment programmes that suit everyone’s needs. Furthermore, FÁS is responsible for the provision of apprentice training in a wide variety of disciplines. Apprentices undertake their training through a combination of work-based learning and education in institutes of technology.
Higher Education
At the heart of the Midlands is Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT), one of Ireland’s leading third level institutes. Established in 1970, AIT has expanded in size, scope and influence over the period. There are in excess of 6,000 students in AIT studying a broad range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes offered by the institute’s four schools of: Business, Engineering, Humanities, and Science.
The institute has partnerships with in excess of 230 universities and research institutes around the world, while students from throughout Europe, Asia, America, the Middle East and Africa enrich its global campus. In parallel, AIT students have the opportunity of studying overseas for a semester or a year as part of their programme.
Research at AIT is concentrated in three strategic areas of bioscience, software and materials engineering. Further research clusters exist at school level, while the institute has ambitious plans to develop a new research and innovation campus, which will enable close collaboration with industry.
The Midlands Innovation and Research Centre at AIT is a hub for innovation, research and enterprise in the Midlands. It provides incubation facilities for innovative and knowledge-based enterprise, an enterprise programme for entrepreneurs and start-ups, and makes available the resources and expertise of the institute to support client companies.
Read more...about Midlands Innovation and Research Centre
Useful links
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