SETU Podcast

This episode focuses on an initiative by SETU, which has enabled family carers to access higher education.  

The Higher Education Authority funded project in partnership with Family Carers Ireland has seen over 790 family carers enrol in a range of accredited programmes at SETU free of charge over the past three years.

In December the initiative culminated in an event in Carlow town that was attended by President of Ireland Catherine Connolly.  Since then additional funding was secured to extent the project to the end of 2026.  

On this podcast you hear from Nicola McEntee, SETU Project Lead; Dr Jerry Dixon, lecturer on the Level 6 Certificate in Introduction to Psychology; and

Nicky, a former family carer who recently completed the Level 6 Introduction to Psychology.

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SETU formally bestowed the 2026 Michael Cooley Award on former President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins in recognition of his exemplary contributions to enhancing access to, and promoting a deeper understanding of, the scholarly work and enduring legacy of Professor Mike Cooley.

Michael D. Higgins, accompanied by his wife Sabina, graciously accepted the accolade from President of SETU, Professor Veronica Campbell on Tuesday, 26 May, in the presence of special guests and political representatives. 

This podcast is a flavour of that event.

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South East Technological University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse campus community that promotes and advances equality, respects and values diversity, and develops a culture in which the human rights and dignity of all students and staff are recognised and respected.

During this episode, Anne Hallinan, EDI Administrator; Allison Kenneally, VP for EDI; and Isaac Alshaikh, Researcher and Assistant Lecturer at SETU explore the various ways in which EDI is part and parcel of life at the University. Anne and Isaac also tell personal stories about how they've struggled with issues in their own lives, and how their journeys have helped them to foster a sense of belonging for all at SETU, and to encourage others to do the same.

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Professor Veronica Campbell, SETU President, spoke to Mary O'Neill about the University's milestones and achievements in its four year existence, and plans for the coming years in terms of new buildings, facilities and programmes. She also discussed SETU in a regional, national and global context, focusing on its positive impact on industry and society.

Prof Campbell holds a degree in Pharmacology from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD in Neuropharmacology from the University of London.

She has extensive undergraduate and postgraduate teaching experience and a successful research record in cell biology, pharmacology and tissue engineering.

She has held several senior leadership roles in Trinity College Dublin before taking up her role at SETU.

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The partnership between SETU and the Defence Forces has successfully provided leadership, management and defence studies programmes to enlisted personnel. From these programmes, over 2,000 Defence Force members have graduated.

The partnership was recently bolstered further, with the receipt of Higher Education Authority funding to the tune of €1 million for a project set to redefine how Ireland educates, trains, and empowers its military workforce. This marks the first time a technological university will work with the Defence Forces to create bespoke, accredited higher-education pathways for personnel.

On this episode, you'll hear from Anne Meaney, Head of Extended Campus SETU, Aisling Hutchinson, Academic Partnership Project Lead at SETU as well as Sergeants in the Defence Forces; Sean Curley, Laura Harris and Gavin McKenzie, all of whom took part in the programme at SETU.

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More than 1,000 secondary school students from across the South East attended the sixth annual Women in Technology event at South East Technological University (SETU), highlighting the growing interest in technology careers and the region’s expanding digital sector.

Guest speakers included Rebecca Troy, software developer with Sun Life Ireland, alongside technology leaders Meredith Stowell from IBM and Likhitha Gaddi from Google.

Industry partners including Sun Life, Google, Security Risk Advisors and Nearform sponsored the event, showcasing the strong collaboration between education and industry in the South East’s growing technology ecosystem. Representatives from each company offered students valuable insights into career pathways within the sector. 

In this episode, you’ll hear an array of voices from the day, including speakers, students, sponsors and companies that were in attendance

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The award-winning Higher Diploma in Arts in Television and Media Production, developed by SETU and Nemeton TV in partnership with Udarás na Gaeltachta, has been successfully preparing new media talent since 2006. As part of Seachtain na Gaeilge at SETU, former students on the course, Lia Nic Craith and Eoin Dalton, screened short films they produced.

In this episode you'll hear from the filmmakers, as well as from Róisín Sheehy, the Irish language officer at SETU, who discusses her role and the importance of promoting Gaeilge on campus – not just for Seachtain na Gaeilge, but all year around. This is a bilingual episode, so you you might pick up the 'cupla focal' from the podcasts guests.

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This podcast episode, hosted by Rob O’Connor, features Michael Quinn, Lecturer in Culinary Arts at SETU and second year Culinary Arts students Joni Hunt and Kealen Voogt, who recently travelled to Croatia to participate in the EU-CONEXUS Student Research Hub on Sustainable Food Systems. 

In this episode, the trio reflect on the research to education project in the Dalmatian region including visits to Mount Biokovo and Makarska, where they connected culinary heritage, local food systems and sustainable practices. Listeners will hear how Joni and Kealen describe their hands-on activities from visiting a family-run olive-oil mill, local fishing culture and working alongside a Michelin-starred chef and how these experiences reshaped their understanding of the “farm-to-fork” and the value of community-centred food cultures. Michael reflects on how this kind of “living lab” learning model positions students as active participants in sustainability, not just observers.

Accompanied by Bridget Cheasty, Communications Officer for EU-CONEXUS at SETU, the podcast gives listeners an insight into how practical learning experiences through the EU-CONEXUS Student Research Hubs are making a real impact. 

Follow Up Links

SETU students explore sustainable food systems in Zadar (news item) https://www.setu.ie/news/setu-students-explore-sustainable-food-systems-in-zadar

SETU’s EU-CONEXUS Microsite https://euconexus.setu.ie

EU-CONEXUS main website https://www.eu-conexus.eu/en/

EU-CONEXUS Explained (Podcast) https://pod.fo/e/2abdad

Michael Quinn (LinkedIn profile) https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-quinn-aa129968/

Bridget Cheasty (LinkedIn profile) https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridget-cheasty-876896126/

Rob O’Connor (LinkedIn profile) https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertoconnorirl/

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This is the second episode shining a light on a unique new course running in SETU. The Certificate in Personal Development is a two-year Level 6 course, which aims to offer adults with intellectual disability an opportunity to experience university life and become students in higher education in the same way their siblings and typical adult peers do.

As year one of the course draws to a close, course leader Catherine Kelly-Mason and lecturers Deirdre Barry and Vicki Anderson joined me to discuss the importance of the course and what it means to them professionally and personally. Our previous episode featured 3 students were invited to to the podcast studio to reflect on their first year as university students, as well as some content from the celebration day held to acknowledge their achievements to date.

Link to the course homepage.

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This is the first of 2 episodes shining a light on a unique new course running in SETU. The Certificate in Personal Development is a two-year Level 6 course, which aims to offer adults with intellectual disability an opportunity to experience university life and become students in higher education in the same way their siblings and typical adult peers do.

As year one of the drew to a close, a celebration day was held and 3 students were invited to to the podcast studio to reflect on what the course means to them. A second episode will feature staff discussing the importance of the course and their reflections from year one.

Link to course page

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In this episode, Rob O’Connor from South East Technological University speaks with learners and a lecturer from the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Technology programme at SETU. The course is designed for professionals working in the pharmaceutical and medical technology sectors who want to deepen their knowledge and progress their careers.

Guests include Abi Ryan (Sanofi), Thomas Phelan (Amgen), and Dr Eleanor Owens (SETU), who share their perspectives on the value of the programme, the challenges of returning to education, and how flexible, part-time study can fit into busy professional lives.

Whether you're working in operations, quality, or lab support—or considering a move into the sector—this episode gives a real-world look at how structured learning and practical experience can come together to support meaningful career development.

Useful links:

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EU-CONEXUS is the pan-European university for Smart Urban Coastal Sustainability. In this podcast, we discuss what that means, explore some of the offerings from EU-CONEXUS, and highlight the benefits for both faculty and students at SETU.

The panel consists of SETU staff members involved with EU-CONEXUS:

The podcast is hosted by Rob O’Connor from SETU.

Additional Info:

Staff Profiles:

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In this episode, we provide an in-depth exploration of the laboratory science programmes available at South East Technological University (SETU) Waterford. This discussion is particularly relevant for first-year Science students, especially those considering their options for specialisation. Additionally, the episode will be of interest to prospective students—whether school leavers, mature students, or individuals exploring science as a career path. Finally, it serves as a resource for anyone with a general interest in the scientific disciplines.

Our panel for this episode features four ProgrammeLeaders from SETU Waterford:

- Elaine Duggan – Programme Leader for Food Science and Innovation

- Nabla Kennedy – Programme Leader for Molecular Biology with Biopharmaceutical Science

- Joe Murphy – Programme Leader for Physics for ModernTechnology

- Eleanor Owens – Programme Leader for Pharmaceutical Science

The podcast is hosted by Rob O’Connor fromthe School of Science & Computing.

Discussion Highlights

A high-level overview of the laboratory science programmes at SETU

Insights into the individual specialisms: Physics, PharmaceuticalScience, Food Science, and Molecular Biology

Exploration of the laboratory-based aspects of these programmes and their practical applications

Career pathways and employment opportunities for graduates in these fields

Broader discussions on the scientific disciplines and the skills essential for success in these areas

While the episode focuses on SETU-specific programmes, much of the discussion is universally applicable to anyone with an interest in science.

Additional Resources

For any questions or further information, we encourage you to reach out to our panel members. Links to their staff profilesand other relevant resources are provided below:

Staff Profiles

Elaine Duggan - https://www.setu.ie/staff/elaine-duggan

Nabla Kennedy – https://www.setu.ie/staff/nabla-kennedy

Joe Murphy – https://www.setu.ie/staff/joe-murphy

Eleanor Owens – https://www.setu.ie/staff/eleanor-owens

Course Links

BSc (Hons) Science (Common Entry) [SE501] - https://www.setu.ie/courses/bachelor-of-science-hons-common-entry

BSc Science (General) [SE512] - https://www.setu.ie/courses/bsc-in-science-general

Molecular Biology with Biopharmaceutical Science - https://www.setu.ie/courses/bsc-hons-in-molecular-biology-with-biopharmaceutical-science

Food Science & Innovation - https://www.setu.ie/courses/bsc-hons-in-food-science-innovation

Physics for Modern Technology - https://www.setu.ie/courses/bsc-hons-in-physics-for-modern-technology

Pharmaceutical Science - https://www.setu.ie/courses/bsc-hons-in-pharmaceutical-science

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A number of senior male academics gathered together to discuss gender equality as a men's issue. They talked about what holds men back from getting involved in gender equality initiatives, their own personal journeys and reflections and finally what men can do to improve gender equality at their respective universities. The podcast is hosted by Ross Woods, the Head of the Centre of Excellence for EDI at the Higher Education Authority. The panel is comprised of:

For more information on the HEA's policy regarding gender equality, please visit hea.ie/policy/gender 

For more information on SETU, please visit setu.ie

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Trailer for SETU podcast

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