CIT? Anseo!

There is no doubt that higher education is worthwhile. Research teems with evidence that completing a good degree gives graduates real benefits in terms of personal development, wellbeing, readiness for work and world and, of course, earning potential.

So in the interests of increasing student engagement, progression and success Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) has focused much effort on ensuring that our new incoming students get an excellent start.

AnSEO – the Student Engagement Office at CIT – is focused on improving student engagement with their learning from entry to graduation. ‘Anseo’ is an Irish word meaning ‘here’.

Dr Áine Ní Shé, Registrar and VP for Academic Affairs, Cork Institute of Technology, said: “Here at CIT, we have combined the goal of enhancing student progression and success with the goal of making students feel welcome, that they matter and are part of something bigger – a caring community that has the pursuit of their best academic potential at its heart.

“Students have the most important role to play as engaged learners, and we want them to really recognise this. At the same time, we also seek to develop and support the critical role staff have to play in cultivating an effective partnership approach to student communications and engagement.”

The AnSEO team at CIT works collaboratively with academic departments, student services and our students’ union to provide a number of special programmes that aim to ensure new students are given the best opportunity to settle in and progress through their studies and college life successfully.

Induction

As the new academic year starts, CIT prepares to welcome over 2,300 new first year students by rolling out their Good Start Induction Programme for new incoming students. Recognising that induction and successful transition to higher education takes time, the college has a programme that extends from welcome messages and events before and during registration to a very purposefully designed four week programme of information and events during the first four weeks of classes in Semester 1.

A team of more than 20 experienced CIT students, trained as Good Start Ambassadors, work with the AnSEO team, to run the programme. A lively social media campaign together with help desks and Get Connected events aim to help students settle in and get to grips with the new and exciting (sometimes daunting) experience of getting started successfully in higher education.

Students can expect to see the Good Start team again at critical times during the academic year such as at Good Start S2 as students return to campus for Semester 2 after Christmas holidays.