BEng in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
The REEdI@MTU BEng (Hons) in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering continues to build on the strength of previous years. In September 2024 we welcomed the largest cohort of student engineers to the programme, not just for the REEdI programme but for any engineering programme at MTU Kerry Campus.
Our third year student engineers are settling into their 2 years paid work placement with our industry partners, students have been placed with companies around Ireland, UK and Germany. The success of the student placements is integral to the programme, our current second years are actively seeking placement for September 2025.
The REEdI team are delighted to annouce the approval of the BSc in Integrated Manufacturing, this innovative new programme with incorporate many of the same learning methods as the BEng in Mechanical Engineering including AR/VR technologies, robotics and project-based learning
2024/2025 Student Engineers
We were excited to welcome our third cohort of Student Engineers to Munster Technological University and the REEdI@MTU programme in September. This is our largest cohort yet with 38 students, including 6 female students, forging the way for a new generation of Engineers. Best of luck to our talented students as they embark on this amazing adventure!
AR/VR Technologies & MTU Metaversity
The AR & VR team continue to play an integral role to the REEdI Project, providing state of the art techologies, experiences and solutions to the REEdI Project. They support the REEdI Programme from induction of our first year student engineers to engineering challenges.
REEdI have begun to develop our MTU ‘Metaversity’ using the EngageXR platform as part of our ongoing work to leverage the power of immersive technology for the benefit of MTU students. This tool will allow for teaching and collaboration in exciting and immersive spaces.
We are delighted to present the REEdI students’ Engineering Challenge 2 Showcase Space which displays the work of the Engineering Challenge 2 module. Future students will be able to use this space as a reference tool and will showcase their own work as part of this module fully in VR.
VIRTUE Network
The Virtual Immersive Reality for Transformative University Education (VIRTUE) Network has been established by the REEdI Team at MTU to harness the collective benefit of VIR technologies to revolutionise the educational experience, making it more dynamic, inclusive, and aligned with the digital age’s evolving needs. By integrating VIR technologies into the educational framework, VIRTUE seeks to enhance the teaching and learning experience across national educational institutions. It is essential for more enhanced and cohesive collaboration among Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) for the effective implementation and integration of immersive technologies. The emphasis is on collaboration, not competition. Together we can shape the future.
Throughout the year the VIRTUE Network have held a number of collaborative events and meetings with our Higher Education Institutes and HCI Pillar 3 funded projects harnessing VIR technologies including University College Cork, Dublin City University and the iED Hub podcast (take a listen here).
SEFI – European Society for Engineering Education Conference
The REEdI Project was well represented at the 52nd SEFI – European Society for Engineering Education Conference in Lausanne, Switzerland during the summer. REEdI Learner Experience Designer Michael Noctor, preseted his research on the Design an Engineer Workshop he has developed.
Mike Edgar, REEdI Immersive Technology Specialist, presented the paper he and colleague Hans Moolman wrote exploring the integration of immersive technology in university level engineering education, specifically the REEdI BEng Hons in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering.
We were delighted to provide REEdI Student Engineer Michael Vieira with the opportunity to attend and represent the paper he published with fellow student Caren Karamagi titled “Integration Of SPARKPLUS with Tuckman’s Model To Improve Team Assessment in Undergraduate Engineering Education”.
World Skills
Congratulations to third year REEdI Student Engineer David Foley who was a Finalist in the WorldSkills Ireland 2024 Competition for Mechanical Engineering CAD. David has shown great ability in the area of mechanical design through the design engineering modules as part of the BEng in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering. The event took place in the RDS Simmonscourt from the 25th – 27th of September.
Secondary School Roadshow
School visits are an important part of the REEdI Project, we meet with transition year and senior cycle students in schools around Munster to promote awareness of the BEng in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, how the programme is delivered, the technologies used and the opportunities for students on graduation. This year our second year REEdI Student Engineers have been assisting these visits as part of their Professional Development module. It is a great oppotunity for them share their knowledge and insights with students about the BEng in Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering along with answering questions related to the programme.
HCI Pillar 3 Networking Event
REEdI were delighted to attend and take part in the Human Capital Initiative (HCI) Pillar 3 Networking Event in Dublin in November. The event brought together all of the HCI Pillar 3 Funded Projects, leading academics and researchers. It was a great opportunity to showcase the REEdI Project, it’s success and acheivements, and our plans for the coming year.
The team were also able to network and share ideas on how to increase agility, impact and engagement in education.
Integrated Engineering International Symposium
REEdI were honoured to be invited to attend the first Integrated Engineering International Symposium hosted by the UCL Centre for Engineering Education. Cathal Geary, REEdI Lecturer took part in the event which was held as part of the celebrations of 10 years of the UCL Integrated Engineering Programme (IEP).
The event brought together the engineering educational leaders within institutions around the world who are already leading this in space with those who have made a clear commitment to engaging with integration across their school/faculty/department/programme(s). The event aimed to bring together an international community to share our challenges and better support each other in our leading roles.
Meta Educators Community Summit
Hasn Moolman, REEdI Research Fellow – Immersive Technologies, had the amazing opportunity to attend the first ever Meta Educator Community Summit in London. REEdI Student Engineers are provided with Meta Quest Headsets as part of the BEng in Mechanical Engineering and they play an important part in the programme delivery.
The event was attended by XR education leaders from across Europe including several Irish Institutes, all passionate about the transformative power of immersive technology. Attendees had the chance to hear from thought-provoking panels, take part in round-table discussions and networking sessions.
We can’t wait to explore new ways to integrate immersive tech into educational experiences.
Award Nominations
REEdI were thrilled to be nominated for a number of awards. The Project was shortlisted for the Public Sector Digital Transformation Awards in the Digital Skills and Talent Initiative of the Year Category.
REEdI Director, Dr Fiona Boyle won the STEM Professional award at the Network Ireland Kerry Busines Women Awards. Sarah Flaherty, Project Manager, and Katherine O’Sullivan, Lecturer, were nominated in the Employee Shining Star Category and were the ‘Ones to Watch’ and ‘Highly Commended’ in the category.
