Wednesday 2 February 2022

Institute of Technology Carlow has announced two new innovative STEM degree courses that will provide skilled graduates in biomedical electronics, and in robotics and automated systems.  

'Preparing the next generation for the demands of tomorrow'

Both courses have been welcomed by industry, with the Irish Medtech Association citing Ireland’s position as one of the top five global medtech hubs and describing the Bachelor of Engineering in Biomedical Electronics as “preparing the next generation for the demands of tomorrow”.  

Adrienne McDonnell, a senior executive with the Irish Medtech Association, said: “This programme comes at a time when the medical technology industry is looking to address current skills shortages and prepare the next generation for the demands of tomorrow.

"These new programmes are a blended mix of physiology and cell biology and applied electronics for medical devices, and really complement the fostering of collaboration between education institutions and the medtech industry to strategically enable lifelong learning and develop the workforce with the skills areas that are in most demand now and in the future.

"Ireland is one of the top five global medtech hubs, with more than 450 companies, and is ranked as the most innovative in the EU with 14,200 EU patent applications in 2020." 

The Bachelor of Engineering in Biomedical Electronics is suitable for students interested in high-tech industry, advancing medical devices for state-of-the-art healthcare.

Work placement and project collaboration

The course is a combination of theory classes, practical experiments, projects and laboratory sessions, and will include work placement and project collaboration with leading global medical device companies based in Ireland.  

“Biomedical electronics involves the application of electronic circuits and technologies for treating medical conditions, monitoring health problems and improving the quality of life for patients," said Dr Kavanagh, programme director and lecturer at IT Carlow.

"Ireland is one of Europe’s largest medical technology hotspots. All of these companies require a continuous supply of graduates with skills in electronics and domain knowledge and expertise of medical devices and healthcare applications.”

The other new entry, the Bachelor of Engineering in Robotics and Automated Systems, has been designed in collaboration with experts to meet the needs of industry. 

Combines electronic engineering, mechanical engineering and computer science

Due to the level of technicality involved in robotics and automated systems, which combines electronic engineering, mechanical engineering and computer science, there is a shortage of qualified graduates and personnel in this area and it is anticipated that graduates of the course will be highly sought after.   

“Covid-19 reminded us that technology plays an important part of our daily life," said Dr Picovici, programme director and senior lecturer at IT Carlow. 

"Robotics and automated systems is a growing industry, therefore the demand for careers in robotics and automation engineering and jobs in virtual and physical world will be on the rise over the next few years. This degree will produce an adaptable graduate capable of working across developing industries where robotic and automated systems are employed.”

The Bachelor of Engineering in Biomedical Electronics and the Bachelor of Engineering in Robotics and Automated Systems are currently open for applications via the CAO and will be delivered at the Carlow campus. Further information is available at www.itcarlow.ie.  

IT Carlow has doubled its learner enrolments over the past decade through the ongoing development of an academic portfolio of more than 80 full-time undergraduate programmes, 30 taught postgraduate programmes, 200 lifelong learning programmes, and masters and doctoral research programmes.

The institute was last year ranked in the five top performing universities in Ireland, according to an international ranking of higher education institutions. It will become a technological university, alongside Waterford Institute of Technology, in 2022.