Here at UL Student Life, we were delighted to welcome our colleagues from UMASS Boston for their recent campus visit as part of our 2 year Twinning Project co funded by the Bank of Ireland Enablement Fund. In March 2014 UMass Boston and the University of Limerick signed a memorandum of understanding to formally launch collaborative programs between the two universities. The partnership was not limited to academic and research endeavours, and, in 2016 the student union and student life departments on both campuses began exploring co-curricular learning opportunities.
Over the past 2 years, students and staff from both institutions have continuously worked together by engaging in monthly video calls to share leadership development ideas, opportunities and experiences. Each year the project teams have made campus visits to further enhance the learning experience.
As a result of participating in the Twinning Project the teams have successfully:
- Collaborated and worked cooperatively with others of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
- Developed and practiced effective leadership skills.
- Demonstrated an understanding of higher education and student governing structures in the United States and Ireland.
- Gained an understanding of how to utilize technology to manage transnational communication, learning, and project management.
UL Student Life Twinning Project Manager Gillian O’Gorman remarks “the project has been a very worthwhile experience for both staff and students. Our focus to date has been on Representation and Leadership but we see many other opportunities for both institutions to continue learning from each other in the areas of Student Engagement, Equality & Diversity & Communications. It is our hope to further strengthen our relationship and learning experience with our friends in UMASS in preparation for the opening of our Student Centre in 2020”.
