Unit Report

• Glacadh leis an gcéad bhuíon mac léinn ar an gclár nua iarchéime MSc i nGnó agus i dTeicneolaíocht an Eolais
• Cheap Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath Oifigeach Forbartha Gaeilge
• Aontaíodh clár cuimistheach scoláireachtaí do mhic léinn
• The year 2000-2001 saw the first intake of students on the new MSc i nGnó agus i dTeicneolaíocht an Eolais (MSc in Business and Information Technology)
• DCU appointed an Irish Language Development Officer
• A comprehensive scholarship programme for students was agreed during 2000-2001.

Comhlíonadh bunaidhmeanna FIONTAR go rathúil sa bhliain 2000-2001. I gcaitheamh na bliana, glacadh leis an gcéad bhuíon mac léinn ar an gclár nua MSc i nGnó agus i dTeicneolaíocht an Eolais. Bhain na mic léinn ardchaighdeán acadúil amach agus chuaigh i mbun a gcuid taighde don Phracticum i gcaitheamh an tsamhraidh. I measc na dtograí nuálaíocha ar deineadh staidéar orthu bhí plean margaíochta d'fhiontar beag, seirbhís nua oidhreachta, agus bunú comhlachta neamhspleáigh theilifíse. Lean an tÚdarás um Ardoideachas dá aitheantas don chlár nua seo faoin gClár Ganntanas Scileanna, rud a chruthaíonn go bhfuil gá leis i gcónaí. Cuireann an t-aitheantas tábhachtach seo an Ghaeilge i gcroílár na forbartha eacnamaíochta.

Cheap Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath Oifigeach Forbartha Gaeilge i Meán Fómhair 2001. Tá Méabh Ní Loingsigh freagrach as cur chun cinn na Gaeilge sa choláiste agus as margaíocht an dá chéim atá ag FIONTAR. Aitheantas ar leith do thábhacht na Gaeilge agus do ról FIONTAR san ollscoil is ea an ceapachán seo.

Is í an fhiontraíocht croílár na céime B.Sc in Airgeadas, Ríomhaireacht agus Fiontraíocht, agus ar cheann de bhuaicphointí obair na bliana do mhic léinn Bhliain 4 bhí an t-aitheantas a tugadh do dhá chomhlacht nua a bhunaigh siad. Údar mór spreagtha d'fhoireann agus do mhic léinn FIONTAR araon ab ea an éacht seo. Bhuaigh dhá bhuíon mac léinn ón mBliain chéanna duaiseanna le linn na bliana acadúla seo: ceann i nduaiseanna Enterprise Ireland d'fhiontraithe óga (Enterprise Ireland Young Entrepreneur Student Awards) agus ceann i gcomórtas smaointe nua gnó DCU, arna urrú ag Vision Consulting.

D'éirigh thar cionn le clár INTRA FIONTAR le linn 2000-2001. Mar is gnáthach, ba é foireann FIONTAR a d'eagraigh an clár, agus tháinig méadú ar líon na mac léinn a fuair taithí oibre thar lear. As rang 17 mac léinn, bhí 13 ag obair thar lear - i Lucsamburg (6), Páras (5), Maidrid (1) agus Amstardam (1). D'oibrigh an ceathrar eile i mBaile Átha Cliath. D'éirigh thar barr leis an dtréimhse taithí oibre agus chuir na comhlachtaí in iúl go mbeadh spéis acu mic léinn agus céimithe FIONTAR a fhostú arís amach anseo.

I bhFeabhra 2000, deineadh athbhreithniú ar na modúil teangacha (Fraincis agus Gearmáinis) faoi stiúir Anna Ní Ghallchóir ó NUI Má Nuad. Mar thoradh air seo, deineadh athstruchtúrú ar shruth na dteangacha agus bhíothas chun na moltaí a chur i bhfeidhm le linn na bliana acadúla 2001-2002.

The fundamental aims of FIONTAR were successfully achieved in the year 2000-2001. The year saw the first intake of students for the new MSc i nGnó agus i dTeicneolaíocht an Eolais (MSc in Business and Information Technology). The students completed the year to a high academic standard and embarked on their research for the Practicum during the summer period. Among the innovative projects chosen for research were a marketing plan for small enterprise, a new heritage service, and the establishment of an independent television production company. The HEA continued to recognise this degree under the Skills Needs Programme, thus providing further validation of its relevance. This recognition places the Irish language at the centre of economic development.

DCU appointed an Irish Language Development Officer in September 2001. Méabh Ní Loingsigh is responsible for promoting Irish throughout the university and for marketing FIONTAR's two degree programmes. Her appointment is a recognition of the importance of Irish in the university and of FIONTAR's role at DCU.

The core of the B.Sc in Airgeadas, Ríomhaireacht agus Fiontraíocht (Finance, Computing and Enterprise) is enterpreneurship and the highlight of the year's work for final year students was the recognition given to two new companies established by them. This was a source of great encouragement for both staff and students in FIONTAR. Two student groups in the same year won prizes in the Enteprise Ireland Young Entrepreneur Student Awards and the DCU New Business Ideas Competition, sponsored by Vision Consulting.

FIONTAR had a highly successful INTRA programme in 2000-2001. Overseas placements (organised directly by FIONTAR staff) increased, which meant that of a class of 17 students, 13 were placed in companies abroad - in Luxembourg (6), Paris (5), Madrid (1) and Amsterdam (1). The remaining 4 students worked in Dublin. The placements were highly successful and companies have expressed an eagerness to employ FIONTAR students and graduates again in the future.

The European language modules of the B.Sc. were reviewed in February 2001 under the direction of Anna Gallagher of NUI Maynooth. As a result, the language stream was restructured and the recommendations were to be implemented during the academic year 2001-2002.