Minister Simon Harris and business and industry leaders attend DCU Futures Conference Day Two

Day Two of the DCU Futures Conference 2023 took place in The Helix on the Glasnevin Campus today, September 5.

Business and industry leaders were in attendance for the second day of the 2023 DCU Futures conference, with a wide range of speakers and topics covered throughout the event.

DCU President Prof Daire Keogh gave the welcome address, emphasising the connections between DCU and the world of work. He spoke of DCU Future’s intention to help develop students to become the very best version of themselves, to flourish and to thrive in an unscripted world, as well as talking about the importance of educating active citizens in order to prepare students for an ever-changing future.

Prof Blánaid White, Dean of Strategic Learning Innovation in DCU, and Dr Ciarán Dunne, Transversal Skills Director in the university, delivered a talk entitled 'DCU Futures: Leadership and re-imagining higher education for the 21st century', giving an insight into the work of DCU Futures and the importance of transversal skills. Prof White spoke of the importance of recognising change as a constant, and the need to not be problem solvers, but problem finders, and accepting and challenging change. Dr Dunne also emphasised the importance of engaging in lifelong learning, that education is no longer a linear process and that a move to prioritising transversal skills development helps support employers and industry.

Simon Harris TD, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, gave an address to attendees at Day 2 of the DCU Futures Conference. He spoke of a need to transform the tertiary education system, to re-imagine it and develop a model that supports all learners at all stages. He also recognised the need for enterprise partners to be part of this change, noting that  the likes of Intel, Accenture, Alltech and Microsoft are partnering with DCU Futures - to take a shared approach to our shared challenges. Minister Harris also pointed to micro-credentials and DCU’s central involvement in the project as an example of the fundamental shift required in our approach to education and training.

A video message from Lorraine Twohill, Chief Marketing Officer at Google, then focused on a number of topics, including the importance of experimenting when it comes to change, embracing a culture of learning and experimentation as well as the importance of focus and prioritisation in an organisation.

The first morning session concluded with a panel discussion comprised of Dr Aisling Soden (Senior Manager, Talent, Transformation And Innovation (TTI) Department,  IDA Ireland), Tracey Donnery (Executive Director for Policy and Communications with Skillnet Ireland, Dr Mairead Nic Giolla Mhichíl (DCU Director of Micro-Credential Strategy and Innovation), Helen McMahon (Senior Strategic Policy Advisor with Enterprise Ireland) and Dr Ciarán Dunne. Topics covered by the panel, and questions from other attendees, included barriers to ongoing development of transversal skills, micro-credentials as an example of future learning and what transversal skills employers are looking for.

The keynote address was delivered by Prof Margaret Heffernan, a Professor of Practice at the Univerity of Bath, Lead Faculty for the Forward Institute's Responsible Leadership Programme and, through Merryck & Co, mentors CEOs and senior executives of major global organisations. Prof Heffernan spoke of how we now have to look beyond the future and innovate ahead of need, and that if no one has ever done something before then nobody is an expert ad all voices need to be considered. There was also a focus on the importance of generosity as a trait, and the need to allow time for change to develop.

For more information on DCU Futures and transversal skills, please follow this link.