Lighting The Fire

Dr Thomas Cooney, Director of the Institute for Minority Entrepreneurship at DIT

George Bernard Shaw once said 'young minds are not vessels to be filled, but fires to be ignited'.

At Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), it is not only young minds that can avail of entrepreneurship programmes but people of all ages and backgrounds.

As part of the teaching philosophy at DIT, entrepreneurship is not only concerned with the creation of financial wealth but also with the generation of artistic and social capital. To enable participants to most effectively meet their entrepreneurial needs, DIT does not restrict itself to the classroom but provides a wide range of entrepreneurship programmes both on and off campus, and inside and outside of organisations.

Tailored Courses

DIT currently provides courses within undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes. In addition, DIT provides tailored entrepreneurship courses across all of the six faculties as well as delivering a Masters in Business and Entrepreneurship, Masters by research, and PhD programmes.

Incubation Focus

Established by DIT in 1983 to help potential and existing entrepreneurs, the Project Development Centre (PDC) is a new style incubator centre which provides a range of services and facilities and enables entrepreneurs to develop a business capable of going global.

The Bolton Trust was founded by DIT staff over 20 years ago and continues to provide valuable support for potential and existing entrepreneurs. One of its more significant achievements was the development of the Docklands Innovation Park where it houses a large number of companies in incubator units, facilitating entrepreneurs to establish their enterprises within supportive environs.

Minority Entrepreneurship

DIT recently launched a new 'Institute for Minority Entrepreneurship' to offer the different minority groups in Ireland equal opportunity through entrepreneurship education and training. Minority entrepreneurship had been broadly defined by the institute to be inclusive of those communities who are generally regarded as being 'outside' of mainstream Irish society in terms of entrepreneurship and includes ethnic, 'grey', disabled, traveller, gay, female, gaeltacht, and home-based entrepreneurs.

Information Exchange

DIT's most recent initiative aimed at entrepreneurs has been the establishment of a new 'Signpost' centre. Signpost is a walk-in information hub catering for those who 'want-to-know', 'need-to-know' or simply just 'don't-know.'

A Perfect Fit

Whether one is a student or an entrepreneur, whether thinking about setting up a new business or already owning a business, whether young or old, DIT provides the full range of tailored support and development services to help people meet their entrepreneurial goals.