The All-Ireland Interprofessional Healthcare Education Challenge (AIPEC) received double recognition at the prestigious Education Awards 2025, including the coveted overall excellence award.
AIPEC, led by Paul McCague at Queen‘s University Belfast in collaboration with a steering group from third-level institutions across the island of Ireland, brings together healthcare students from diverse disciplines to tackle real-world care challenges collaboratively, mirroring professional healthcare practice.
The judges commended AIPEC for its “outstanding achievements across research, teaching, innovation and community impact”, describing the university as “a leader in higher education, setting the standard for excellence in Ireland and beyond”.
Dr McCague commented: “This recognition reflects the dedication and shared vision of the entire steering group, the eight partner institutions, and the staff, students and patients who contributed so meaningfully to the event.”
Now in its eighth year, the Education Awards 2025 saw participation from 53 organisations with 166 entries competing across 29 award categories. The awards ceremony at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Santry, hosted by Colm O’Regan, attracted 417 attendees to celebrate outstanding achievements across the education sector.
Mary Lyons, director of enterprise, employees, and skills at awards gold sponsor Solas Skills to Advance Initiative, stated: “We’re delighted to support excellence and innovation in education and training and to collaborate with industry partners to assist enterprises and employees in developing agile skillsets. Learning is a lifelong pursuit, and all educational development for personal and professional advancement deserves to be celebrated.”
Conor Rafferty, deputy principal at O’Fiaich Institute of FET, a shortlisted finalist, remarked that entering the Education Awards was a rewarding experience, highlighting the importance of recognising and celebrating the dedication of educators and institutions. “It’s a valuable opportunity to reflect on the positive impact we have on learners,” he said.
Also shortlisted was Project FoReSight, a collaboration led by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Technology Centre at UL which developed an innovative risk management framework to keep pace with pharmaceutical regulatory needs. “PMTC demonstrated the wonderful outcomes achievable when industry and academia collaborate,” said Catriona Hassett, the Centre’s industry engagement specialist.
Bristol Myers Squibb won the award in the internship programme category. Pamela O’Brien, director of manufacturing science and technology, said the award is testament to the focus the company places on evolving and improving its early careers programmes.
“Our goal is to grow and develop our talent pipeline through a rich practical experience at our sites,” O’Brien added. “We are thrilled to win this award as it further emboldens us that we are on the right track in providing a best-in-class programme to support entry to the workplace and amazing Stem talent into the future.”
Dublin City University Futures won awards in the student experience and online learning experience award categories. The university said the dual recognition “is a testament to our commitment to reimagining undergraduate education for an unscripted world”.
Judging co-ordinator Willie Donnelly described the Education Awards as a celebration of the leadership of Ireland’s third-level Institutions, enhancing people’s quality of life through flexible access to knowledge and learning.
“The awards also celebrate the central role of the sector in working with national and international stakeholders in teaching, research and innovation to deliver sustainable development, social equity, and economic sustainability,” he said.
“The Education Awards continue to attract the support of the third-level education institutions, and it’s good to see an increase in submissions from the ETBS and private service providers.”
Thomas Hickey, commercial partnership lead at awards organiser Business River, commented: “Events like this are made possible through the support of sponsors. We are thankful to our 2025 gold sponsor Solas Skills to Advance Initiative. I also want to recognise our communications partner, The Irish Times, as well as our supporter, Amárach Research. Their investment in the awards underlines their commitment and support of this key business area.”
Awards judges
- Willie Donnelly (judging Coordinator), director of research and innovation, The Technical Higher Education Association (THEA)
- Dr Joseph Collins, director of further education and training, ETBI
- Gerard Culley, chief information officer, University College Cork
- Tomas Finneran, co-founder & director, Fluirse Education Solutions
- Graham Heaslip, head of school of engineering, Atlantic Technological University
- Gavin Henrick, chief executive, Brickfield Education Labs
- Paula Hodson, director of education and development, The Insurance Institute of Ireland
- Bertie Kelly, commercial director, National College of Ireland
- Emma Leahy, research strategy lead, University of Limerick
- Donal McAlister, international affairs manager, South East Technological University
- Denise McMorrow, student experience manager at IADT and chair of Unesco Dublin Learning City
- Lisa Moran, dean of graduate studies and head of the graduate school, Technological University of the Shannon
- Paul Mullally, director, Education Lighthouse
- Ciarán Ó Hannracháin, project manager - strategic business projects, Atlantic Technological University
- Liam O’Reilly, director of it, University of Limerick
- Dr Kushan Rathnasekara, researcher, University of Kelaniya
- Yuxin Wang, chief executive and co-founder, GoMappED
- John Wells, head of faculty, South East Technological University
Award winners
Overall excellence award
Winner: AIPEC
Best use of educational technology/ICT initiative
Winner: WWETB - The Virtual Hospital Room
Best student experience award
Winner: Dublin City University Futures - Reimagining Undergraduate Education
Best student campus award
Winner: University of Limerick
Best research project
Winner: RCSI - AI-Driven Diagnostic Platform
Best online learning experience
Winner: DCU Futures - Reimagining Undergraduate Education
Best master’s programme – science, technology, and built environment
Winner: UCC - Redesigning the Post-Industrial City
Best master’s programme – creative, social, and professional studies
Winner: University of Galway - Drama and Theatre Studies
Best marketing/communications team
Winner: Trinity College Dublin
Best library team
Winner: Dublin Business School - Going Beyond the Traditional
Best language school
Winner: Gaelchultúr
Best internship programme award
Winner: Bristol Myers Squibb
Best international collaboration project
Winner: Munster Technological University
Best infrastructure upgrade
Winner: NCI - Spencer Dock Campus Expansion
Best industry/business - academic collaboration (sponsored by Solas Skills to Advance Initiative)
Winner: Drogheda Institute of Further Education & Amazon Web Services
Best graduate training programme
Winner: William Fry - Legal Traineeship
Best further education provider (sponsored by Solas Skills to Advance Initiative)
Winner: Mayo College of FET
Best Erasmus programme
Winner: University of Limerick
Best education outreach award
Winner: RCSI - Debunking The Myths: The Science Behind Our Sexual Health
Best community academic collaboration
Winner: ATU Engineering - Civic Engagement
Best collaboration project
Winner: AIPEC
Student engagement & communications award
Winner: University of Limerick - Academic Registry
Most innovative digital transformation
Winner: An Cosán - Digital Stepping Stones and ‘Get Yourself Online’
International engagement award
Winner: TUS Global
Excellence in health & safety
Winner: Coillte & Cobblestone Learning - Electricity Awareness eLearning Course
Excellence in sustainability
Winner: Munster Technological University - Waste to Taste
Excellence in education by a professional body
Winner: LIA
Excellence in diversity, inclusivity & equality
Winner: SETU - Commitment to Inclusive Education and Equality
Career impact strategy award
Winner: TUS - Elevating Employability
