Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) has announced the continuation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Creative Spark, Dundalk’s Centre for Creativity, and Innovation.  

DkIT and Creative Spark, a centre for creativity, and Innovation which supports new and established businesses operating within the creative industries, innovation, technology, and sustainable energy sectors, have been collaborating since their previous MOU was initially signed in 2018.  

The partnership has been extremely productive and has achieved amazing opportunities and alliances for Creative Spark, DkIT students and the community at large. The continuation of the agreement will build on these successes.

Some of the innovative partnership initiatives include DkIT supporting the Creative Spark Regional Development Fund application for support of its FABLAB project as a training partner.

DkIT also established a Level 6 Certificate in Digital Design and Fabrication, created by the School of Engineering, Department of Electronic and Mechanical Engineering in conjunction with Creative Spark. This course was awarded Springboard funding in 2020.

In January 2021 the course commenced on a parttime delivery basis with an association to the Dundalk Chamber Skillnet programme who subsidised 30% of the costs.  Thanks to the success of this course, the recruitment process has started for the next cohort of students for this programme which will start in January 2022.

Creative Spark also supported DkIT as a partner organisation in its application for the Screen Skills Ireland Crew Hub proposal and film students have also had the opportunity to utilise the Creative Spark facility as a filming location.

Each year students on the Entrepreneurship in Creative Industries module on BA (Hons) Creative Media and BA (Hons) Film and Television Production visit Creative Spark and are kindly given an expert talk by Sarah Daly the Executive Director of the facility.

The centre has also provided artistic supports for DkITs Creative Media students and undertook projects such as a screen-printing workshop in the hub. The natural synergy between the organisations has also allowed for several DkIT students to be placed within the companies in Creative Spark each year.  

Other recent achievements and new courses offered through this successful collaboration are:-

• Joint application for Certificate in Digital Media Design to Springboard, March 2020 – successful with first cohort of students started in January 2021  
• Joint application for Certificate in Digital Media Design to Springboard, March 2021 – successful with cohort of students starting in January 2022 
• Joint application for PG Diploma in Creative Industries Leadership, March 2021
• Creative Ireland application Climate Action Louth Climate Academy (inc. design and build aquaponics project) 2021. 
• The collaboration with Creative Spark is an important component within DkIT’s wider Corporate Partnership Programme with industry and the community, which is led by the Regional Development Centre at DkIT.

Dr. Michael Mulvey, President, DkIT said:

“This is a great start to 2022.  The relationship between DkIT and Creative Spark has been a very successful one. A knowledge exchange that has built a bridge between creative innovation, entrepreneurship and academe.   It has benefited all parties but especially our students, who developed entreprise and entrepreneurial skills, and gained insights starting a business and pitching ideas.”

For more information see: www.creativespark.ie