Established in 1971, Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) is a publicly funded higher education institution providing a mix of career-focused undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. It is set to become part of a new Technological University.
Dundalk Institute of Technology, DkIT, is a publicly funded higher education institution in County Louth, midway between Dublin and Belfast. It was founded in 1971 as the Regional Technical College Dundalk and received its present name in 1997. It has about 5,200 students and 500 staff, and around one student in ten comes from abroad. The main campus lies on the Dublin Road, a short walk from the town centre and the railway station, and the Dublin to Belfast train stops here.
The institute teaches certificates, diplomas, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees and doctorates, with a focus on practical skills. The main schools cover engineering, computing and mathematics, business and humanities, health and science, and the creative arts. Courses in music and creative media, in computing and cyber security, and in engineering and renewable energy are among the best known, and many programmes include a work placement.
Research is applied and regional. DkIT is involved in renewable energy research through its Centre for Renewable Energy, in data analytics, in health, and in cross-border work with partners in Northern Ireland. The Regional Development Centre on campus hosts start-ups and spin-out companies, and the institute works with firms in the Dublin to Belfast corridor, including pharmaceutical and food companies.
Irish and other EU undergraduates generally pay no tuition under the Free Fees Initiative but pay a yearly student contribution, while students from outside the EU pay tuition that varies by programme. Check the current tariffs. Irish applicants use the CAO system, and international students and postgraduates have their own application routes.
Teaching is in English. Dundalk is a small, affordable town about 50 minutes from Dublin by train, with the Cooley mountains and the coast nearby. Class sizes are smaller than at the big Dublin universities, which suits students who prefer closer contact with lecturers.
Domains taught:
Ecology and Sustainability, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Life Sciences, Mechanical Engineering, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Certificate, Diploma, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
DkIT has strong relationships with industries in the North-East region of Ireland, facilitating work placements and collaborative projects.
Research:
The institute has dedicated research centres, with strengths in areas like smooth muscle research, renewable energy, and data analytics.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
500
Current students***:
5200
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
20000
Pros
A strong sense of community on a relatively compact campus, with a good staff-to-student ratio and a focus on practical, career-oriented education.
Cons
It is not a university and therefore has limited postgraduate research opportunities compared to larger institutions. Public transport to Dundalk can be limited.
Best For
Students from the North-East region seeking accessible, career-focused higher education with a good balance of practical and academic learning.
Technological University Dublin takes a similar route through mechanical engineering, software engineering and engineering, and it is also a public institution and also offers associate degree programmes.
Munster Technological University works in much the same fields, chiefly mechanical engineering, software engineering and engineering, and it covers marine science and agriculture as well, and is far larger, with about 18,000 students against roughly 5,200 here.
Both schools build their programmes around mechanical engineering, electrical and electronics and software engineering, and University of Limerick is the one to compare first within the country, since it is far larger, with about 17,500 students against roughly 5,200 here, and is also a public institution.
University of Galway follows much the same lines as this institution, with life sciences, software engineering and engineering as common ground, and it is far larger, with about 19,000 students against roughly 5,200 here, and is also a public institution.
Think of Trinity College Dublin when life sciences, software engineering and engineering is the priority: it covers nanotechnologies and chemistry as well, and is far larger, with about 19,750 students against roughly 5,200 here.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
For a study option in India with a comparable spread of ecology and sustainability, life sciences and software engineering, Tezpur University is the reference point: it also offers mba programmes and covers physics and materials as well.
Students considering a move abroad can look at University of Windsor in Canada, where ecology and sustainability, mechanical engineering and life sciences also form the core, and it does not run the diploma programmes found here and covers AI and machine learning as well.
For a study option in Russia with a comparable spread of ecology and sustainability, mechanical engineering and life sciences, Kalmyk State University is the reference point: it does not run the certificate and diploma programmes found here and covers agriculture and civil engineering as well.
Looking internationally, Université de Moncton in Canada is where ecology and sustainability, life sciences and software engineering get a comparable treatment; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral, certificate and diploma, and covers data analytics and AI and machine learning as well.
Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute, in India, takes a similar route through mechanical engineering, electrical and electronics and software engineering; it is slightly smaller, at about 4,000 students against roughly 5,200 here, and is also a public institution.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is DkIT?
On the Dublin Road in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland, between Dublin and Belfast.
When was it founded?
In 1971, as the Regional Technical College Dundalk. It took its present name in 1997.
How large is DkIT?
About 5,200 students and 500 staff.
What does it teach?
Engineering, computing, business, humanities, health, science and creative arts.
Which levels of study are available?
Certificates, diplomas, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and doctorates.
What research does it do?
Applied research in renewable energy, data analytics, health and cross-border projects.
Does DkIT charge tuition?
Irish and other EU undergraduates generally pay no tuition under the Free Fees Initiative but pay a student contribution. Students from outside the EU pay tuition that varies by programme. Check the current tariff.
How do you apply?
Irish undergraduates apply through the CAO system. International students and postgraduates have separate routes.
How far is it from Dublin?
About 50 minutes by train.
What is the language of teaching?
English.
Engineering, Health Sciences, Product Development, Renewable Energy, Research and Development, Sustainable Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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