MTU Offers Unique Opportunities to Enhance the Employability of PhD Graduates

Munster Technological University (MTU) continues to strengthen its position as a leader in postgraduate research, offering unique opportunities for PhD students to engage with employers across academia, industry, government, and entrepreneurship. Through its strong ties to regional business and innovation ecosystems, MTU enables postgraduate researchers to gain hands-on experience and build valuable industry connections throughout their studies.

This year, the vast majority of the 47 postgraduate researchers who graduated from MTU with PhD or Master degrees secured jobs in Ireland’s innovation-driven economy, underscoring the University’s focus on preparing students for both traditional and non-traditional career paths.

MTU’s commitment to research training is exemplified by its participation in the national roll-out of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Odyssey Programme, a new initiative aimed at enhancing the career development of PhD students. As one of the first institutions to join the programme, MTU is aligning with the national ambition of IMPACT 2030 – Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy – which seeks to improve career pathways and maximise the impact of researchers across various sectors.

The Odyssey Programme, originally developed by UCC, is a two-day immersive experience designed to prepare final-year PhD students for seamless mobility across diverse employment sectors. A cohort of MTU PhD students have successfully participated in the Odyssey Programme which offers an additional opportunity for these students to participate in an Enterprise Ireland (EI) Research Development and Innovation (RDI) industry pilot programme called PhDStart. This is a new strand within the EI GradStart Programme which offers financial and practical supports to assist companies to hire innovative PhD graduates.

In addition to the Odyssey Programme, MTU offers a range of accredited in-house research career development programmes to its PhD and Master by Research students, including modules such as Design Your Future, Research Postgraduate Placement, and Innovation and Entrepreneurship. These programmes are designed to help MTU postgraduate researchers develop key transferable skills, further enhancing their employability and impact.

“There has never been a more exciting time to join MTU’s diverse and inclusive research community to pursue your postgraduate education,” said Professor Hugh McGlynn, Vice President for Research and Innovation at MTU.

“Our PhD and Master students hail from 29 countries worldwide, with many of their programmes delivered in collaboration with enterprise partners and international universities. MTU has the largest research budget in the technological university sector, with an annual research expenditure exceeding €30 million. Nearly €2 million of this funding comes from collaborative industry partners, highlighting the excellence and impact of our research.”

Dr Siobhán Mac Sweeney, Head of Research at MTU’s Kerry Campus and Coordinator of the MTU Odyssey Programme, said:

“As part of its ongoing commitment to postgraduate research, MTU is currently recruiting 20 fully funded PhD students under the Technological University Research and Innovation Supporting Enterprise (TU RISE) scheme.

In 2025, MTU will be expanding its offerings and recruiting additional Master by Research students and postdoctoral researchers through this programme. If you are interested in joining MTU’s dynamic research community across our six campuses in Cork and Kerry, please keep an eye on our webpage for details of all fully funded opportunities available.”