Archived News
New Chair of Institutes of Technology Ireland
NEWS RELEASE
9th January 2012
Dr Maria Hinfelaar, President of Limerick IT, is new Chair of Institutes of Technology Ireland
Dr Maria Hinfelaar, President of Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT), is the new Chairperson of Institutes of Technology Ireland (IOTI) for 2012. A native of the Netherlands, she has been at the head of LIT since 2004.
Dr Hinfelaar studied at Leiden University in the Netherlands, Leicester University in the UK and was conferred with a PhD by Maastricht University in 2004.
In 2011 she led the negotiations which integrated Tipperary Institute and its 1000 students into LIT. With almost 7,000 students LIT is now the fourth largest institute of technology in the country.
Dr Hinfelaar has been actively involved in the Atlantic Way movement to promote economic development in the Mid West region and LIT hosts a thriving Enterprise Centre for start-up businesses in high-potential industries.
Commenting on her priorities as IOTI Chair, Dr Hinfelaar said:
“It is now a year since the Strategy for Higher Education was published and it is essential that more clarity of direction and vision for the sector is provided. The criteria for designation as Technological Universities should be published at the earliest date so Institutes can plan their futures with certainty. There will be no progress without certainty.
I also believe that the Institutes collectively can do more to highlight and celebrate the achievements of our alumni, many of whom are at the highest levels of major companies in Ireland and around the globe. Our alumni bear witness to the excellent staff in Institutes and I think that harnessing their wisdom and experience could add considerable value to the knowledge base of the sector.
In recent years Institutes have signed numerous international agreements to bring overseas students to Ireland. Links have been forged in Canada, India and the Middle East which bring considerable economic benefits to this country. There is still huge unexplored potential to ‘sell’ our expertise and
I hope to see major advances in 2012.”