More than 2,000 conferees will receive higher certificates, ordinary and honours degrees, and postgraduate qualifications at masters and PhD levels over two days of ceremonies at Athlone Institute of Technology. The first day of conferring was Friday, 17 November, with ceremonies also taking place on Wednesday, 6 December.

The School of Humanities represents the largest number of graduates with 769 people being presented with awards. This figure includes 240 graduates of the Department of Adult and Continuing Education. The Business School has 748 graduates, the School of Engineering has 308 graduates and the School of Science has 220 graduates.Graduates today are drawn from the School of Humanities and the School of Engineering, as well as international students from the Business School, of whom there are 68.

According to Prof. CiaranO Cathain, Director of AIT, the large number of graduates represents the the vibrancy of higher education in Athlone and an indicator of how important the institute is as the only third level provider in the Midlands.

In his address, he praised the graduates academic and social achievements. While the Celtic Tiger may have created an impression of an Ireland where we have become more self-centred and less inclined to do things for others, he said, AIT students and graduates regularly give of themselves. He highlighted social studies students who prepare an integrated educational, social and recreational programme for learners in the Adult Training Centre at St Hildas Services in Athlone. He also mentioned the classmates and friends of Darren Price, an engineering student, who was killed in a car accident in March. They organised a successful commemorative night and raised in excess of €11,000 for medical equipment for Westmeath GAA. A recent staff-student soccer match and reception, organised by sport management students, raised €6,000 for Special Olympics Ireland.

In the academic sphere, the support of staff, is central to the high achievements of AIT students, he said. As a result of such support, Prof.O Cathain highlighted, AIT students have been prize winners at professional accountancy exams, National Skills Competitions, the Food Safety Authority Awards and the RDS Print-making Competition, to mention just four.

AIT prides itself on being a student-centred institution, he continued, and the investment made in these areas makes a great difference to the quality of our students experience of AIT, and it shows. The institute is attracting an increasing number of mature and non-traditional students and have exceeded the government target of 15%. AIT has one of the highest retention rates in the country. More than 81% of students complete their programme of study in AIT, six percentage points higher than the national average. When they complete their course, graduates enjoy great success in pursuing further studies and in securing quality employment. According to the most recent graduate survey, a mere 1% were looking for work six months after they qualified from AIT. This is the rich tradition, the catalogue of success that you are now part of, Prof.O Cathain told the graduates.

While graduation is an opportunity of heralding the achievements of the graduates, it also offers an opportunity to explore how best AIT can serve future generations of learners, he said. We see our future in being the best that an institute of technology can be innovative, collaborative, research-strong, excellent at teaching, responsive to the needs of our students and the Midlands, he stated.

We are proud to be an institute of technology, proud to share an identity forged by celebrated institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Georgia Institute of Technology. Who we are is more than a name over the door however. We are not content to merely be one of over 20 higher education institutions in the country offering broadly the same suite of courses. We must look to create centres of excellence, building on core strengths that respond to the needs of our region and the country in general. AIT is taking a differentiated approach, looking to offer added-value in our core programmes, as well as a growing number of unique courses which meet real industrial and societal needs.

The Director recognised the support of families which is essential to success as a student. Going to third level undoubtedly involves sacrifices and you are to be applauded for taking those brave steps, he said. Today we acknowledge and pay tribute to the commitment and support of your parents, guardians and partners, when they see the rewards of having made those sacrifices. Our graduates deserve our congratulations, but so too do those who have stood behind you.