The Innovation Academy team was this year’s winner of the GradIreland Postgraduate Course of the Year in Design and Innovation for their postgraduate certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
The director of PharmaChem Ireland and a judge of the awards, Matt Moran, presented the award to the Innovation Academy at a ceremony which took place in the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The winning postgraduate certificate, which was established in 2010, has been undertaken by over 500 PhD students from 36 disciplines.
The judging criteria included industry involvement, the overall impact of the programme, student experience and career development outcomes. When speaking on the merits of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship certificate, the judges noted the high level of student achievement in the programme.
Ruth Kearney, Business Development Manager of Trinity Research and Innovation, accepted the award on behalf of the Innovation Academy team. Speaking after the ceremony, Kearney said: “This award recognises the design and innovation underpinnings of the programme. This course is delivered within a vibrant multidisciplinary environment, facilitating new ways of thinking and helping to uncover the value latent in the doctoral research.”
“This enables students to understand how knowledge and ideas from their research can be transformed into products, services and policies for economic, social and cultural benefit.”
The students of the programme participate in short-term industry projects designed to expand their career options associated with innovation and entrepreneurship. Postgraduates can complete the full certificate or take modules independently in a range of areas, such as Creative Thinking and Innovation, Opportunity Generation and Recognition, Intellectual Property, Planning Your New Venture and Creative Capital.
