14. “Vibrant, open and accessible”: Students’ visions of higher education futures

Julie Byrne is assistant professor in Online Education & Development at Trinity College Dublin (Ireland). She was Trinity’s academic lead (2019–2021) on the national Enhancing Digital Teaching and Learning (EDTL) project and is a current member of the Leading European Advanced Digital Skills (LEADS) consortium, funded by the European Commission. She was director of Trinity’s first fully online postgraduate programme and is a contributor to Trinity’s first micro-credential programme where she offers an online course, Digital Technologies in Human Services.

Maeve A. Devoy is the author of A City Symphony and The Tell Tale Collection. She has an MA in Literary Journalism and a BA in Journalism. She spends her time teaching creative writing across the country (Ireland).

Jonny Johnston is an educational developer at the Centre for Academic Practice at Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), where he leads on a range of teaching enhancement interventions. Jonny has been formally working in academic development since 2019. His original background and research training is in modern languages and literatures (PhD Germanic Studies, Trinity College Dublin). His current interests lie in curriculum and in structured approaches to teacher education and development in higher education.

Rob Lowney is an academic developer (Digital Learning) in the Teaching Enhancement Unit at Dublin City University (Ireland). He is a Senior Certified Member of the Association for Learning Technology and Senior Fellow of Advance HE. He works with university teachers to develop their teaching excellence, including with technologies. He is interested in staff-student pedagogical partnerships and leads the university’s Students as Partners in Assessment project.

Eimer Magee was a student on the MEngSc in Biopharmaceutical Engineering at University College Dublin (Ireland) in 2021–2022, and a student associate intern for the Enhancing Digital Teaching and Learning (EDTL) project with the Irish Universities Association.

Kate Molloy is an instructional designer at Atlantic Technological University (Ireland) and was previously a learning technologist in CELT, University of Galway. She was the university lead on the Irish Universities Association Enhancing Digital Teaching and Learning (EDTL) project from 2019 to 2022. Her work focuses on the informed and ethical use of technology, learning design, inclusion, and open practice. Kate is secretary national executive of the Computers in Education Society of Ireland (CESI).

David Moloney works as digital skills development lead in the Centre for Transformative Learning (CTL), University of Limerick (Ireland).

Morag Munro is Maynooth University’s (Ireland) EDTL institutional lead, and lecturer on the postgraduate diploma in HE Teaching, Learning, and Assessment. Prior to this, Morag was learning technologist and head of the Learning Innovation Unit at Dublin City University. She has also worked at the University of Strathclyde and in the commercial eLearning sector. Her research interests include critical perspectives on educational technologies and educational policy, education for global citizenship and sustainability, and student-staff partnerships.

Fernandos Ongolly is a doctoral research student at the Business School at University College Dublin (Ireland). He is a Kenyan anthropologist based in Ireland interested in research on how people evolve and adapt to new technologies in many aspects of life such as education, health, and business, among others. He previously worked at the Irish Universities Association’s (IUA) Enhancing Digital Teaching and Learning (EDTL) project as a student associate intern and is currently a portal administrator at Euraxess Ireland based at the IUA.

Jasmine Ryan was a final year BA student of Politics and International Relations with Philosophy at the University of Limerick (UL) (Ireland) in 2021 to 2022, and a student associate intern for the Enhancing Digital Teaching and Learning (EDTL) project with the Irish Universities Association. She played a pivotal role in the LevUL Up Student Digital Skills and Competence Development Programme, enhancing student experiences. Jasmine currently works as a Leadership & Representation administrator in UL Student Life.

Suzanne Stone has over ten years’ experience working in the higher education sector as a learning technologist and more recently as an academic developer. With specific expertise in learning technologies and the development of staff digital capabilities, Suzanne has collaborated on a range of research projects relating to technology for teaching and learning. Her current research focuses on digital wellbeing, digital assessment, and the use of ChatGPT in assessment design.

Michaela Waters was a final year BBS student of Business Studies and Accounting at Maynooth University (Ireland) in 2021 to 2022 and a student associate intern for the Enhancing Digital Teaching and Learning (EDTL) project with the Irish Universities Association.

Kyle Wright was a third-year Creative Digital Media student in Technological University Dublin Blanchardstown (Ireland) in 2021–22. He has a passion for technology and the creative arts, hoping to move into graphic design and cinematography after graduation. Outside of class, Kyle is part of a Dublin-based rock band.