MIE President's Annual Report

MIE President's Annual Report 2020 - 2021

TOD Web Profile

The academic year 2020/2021 was challenging, but one that the MIE community met with positivity and enthusiasm . At the start of the year, as we moved to return to lectures, we knew that COVID-19 was going to have a longer-term impact on our operations, and we needed to adapt accordingly, overseen by our untiring COVID-19 Committee.

I am filled with admiration at how our staff, students and community at MIE rose to it with such professionalism, grace and optimism, evolving how we teach and learn, how we engage with and support each other professionally, and rally together to help protect those most precious of resources: our health and wellbeing.

This year has been one not only of change but of growth and development and although for much of the time we were working at a distance, Marino always felt close. We saw the maturing of a digital transformation within the Institute, fuelled by the successful ‘TELMiE about IT’ process of engagement with staff and by the planned and careful investment in resources for online and blended teaching and learning. This has in many ways broadened our scope and engagement with communities far beyond our locality. Our virtual Open Days, webinars and CPD programmes had phenomenal uptake in their new, online formats, and this was at least one ray of light in a stormy time for delivering education.

The continuing vibrancy of life at Marino - whether in person or virtually - is a testament to the character of our staff and students, and the list of their activities in 2020/2021 is impressive . They include running Outdoor Summer Schools to help young students maintain skills during the holiday months and an International Winter School for educators on building professional identity, as well as hosting major events such as the Educational Studies Association of Ireland conference and the Student Teacher Educational Research conference.

A commitment to excellence is foundational to the work of MIE and it was particularly heartening to see many MIE staff receive recognition through national awards in 2021. As well as being short- listed for three categories in the Irish Times Education Awards, nine staff received Teaching Hero Awards at the USI Achievement Awards. In addition, our response rate and results in the StudentSurvey.ie have remained consistently high. These benchmarks are a testament to the synergy between staff and students at MIE, and reflect our strengths in engaging with and inspiring students, and igniting the spark of education for the future.

During the year we have engaged in an extensive and iterative consultation process, and have laid the foundations for our Strategic Plan 2021- 2026, Education Transforming Lives. The launch of this Plan in the new academic year will set an ambitious agenda for the Institute for our next phase of development.

Professor Teresa O’Doherty

President, MIE

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