20th Cohort Begins MSc in Leadership, Innovation and Technology

Date posted: 28th September 2026

A new group of experienced professionals has begun the MSc in Leadership, Innovation and Technology, marking the 20th intake of the long-running programme delivered by Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet in partnership with TU Dublin.

The incoming cohort came together at TU Dublin this month for the programme commencement event, meeting the academic and programme teams and one another as they begin a two-year, part-time learning journey focused on leadership, innovation, strategy and organisational change.

The occasion carries particular significance in 2026. The MSc in Leadership, Innovation and Technology was first launched in 2006 to address a practical industry need: helping technically experienced professionals develop the commercial, strategic and interpersonal capabilities required to take on broader leadership responsibility. Twenty years later, the programme has supported more than 300 graduates.

Why the programme still matters 20 years on

The technology landscape has changed radically since the first cohort entered the programme. AI adoption, digital transformation, sustainability, changing workforce expectations and faster technology cycles are creating new demands for people who can connect technical expertise with business priorities and organisational leadership.

That is the gap the MSc in Leadership, Innovation and Technology is designed to address. It is aimed at experienced professionals who may already lead teams, projects, products or technical functions, but who want to strengthen their ability to shape strategy, lead change and influence at a broader organisational level.

Reaching the 20th intake is an important milestone, but the real value of the programme is in what participants do with it. These are experienced professionals who already bring deep expertise. The next step is helping them broaden that expertise into stronger strategic leadership, to lead meaningful change in their organisations.

Jamie Meegan
Programme Lead, Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet

Applied learning for working professionals

The MSc in Leadership, Innovation and Technology is delivered over two years on a part-time, blended basis. Its design is deliberately applied. Assessment is based on work-related project assignments and reflective learning rather than traditional written examinations, allowing participants to connect the programme directly to their professional context.

In Year 2, participants complete an applied research project focused on an organisational or management challenge relevant to their workplace or specialist area. For employers, that means the programme is not separate from the business: participants can use the learning to examine real issues, test ideas and develop practical insight that can travel back into the organisation.

What has sustained this programme over two decades is the connection between academic learning and real organisational practice. Participants bring substantial experience into the classroom, learn from one another as well as from the academic team, and are challenged to apply new thinking to the issues they are already facing at work.

Dr Kevin Byrne
Head of the School of Business Technology, Retail and Supply Chain, TU Dublin

Big20 giveaway winners join the new cohort

The 20th intake also includes Olivia Wood of BearingPoint, Ronan Kenny of ESB, Viviane Rezende of Nostra and Ahmed Mahmoud of Ericsson, the four recipients of the Big20 fully-funded places giveaway, which was launched earlier this year to mark the programme’s 20-year milestone.

The four professionals were selected for their leadership potential and the clarity of the impact they want to create in their organisations. Their areas of focus span business transformation, responsible digital design, organisational innovation and engineering programme delivery. Read more about what they aim to get out of the programme.

Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet will follow their journey over the next two years, including how their thinking develops, how they apply the programme in practice and, later, how their applied research projects address real organisational challenges.

Looking ahead to the September 2027 intake

For the newest cohort, the work has now begun. For professionals considering the next stage of their own career, the 20th intake is also a reminder of what the programme is built to do: help experienced people move beyond technical credibility and develop the leadership, strategic and innovation capabilities needed to create wider organisational impact.

The next intake of the MSc in Leadership, Innovation and Technology is scheduled for September 2027. The programme is delivered part-time over two years by TU Dublin in partnership with Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet.

September 2027 intake