Pharmacy Technician Studies Programme Celebrates Third Consecutive DELTA Award Win

Published: 17 Apr, 2025

The Pharmacy Technician Studies Programme from the School of Food Science and Environmental Health has been honoured with the National DELTA Award 2025, marking its third consecutive achievement (2018–2021, 2021–2024, and now 2025–2028).

This sustained recognition highlights the team’s unwavering commitment to excellence in learning, teaching, and assessment, as well as the culture of collaboration, innovation, and student-centred enhancement.

Dr Tao Zhang, Programme Chair, reflected on this milestone: “This award is a testament to the collective dedication of our entire team—past and present—who have shaped the programme’s success. Their passion for pedagogical excellence, alongside the invaluable contributions of our students, alumni, and industry partners, has been key to this achievement.”

This prestigious accomplishment reflects the collective expertise and commitment of the entire programme community, including both current team members and those who have contributed throughout our journey:

Academic Team: Dr Tao Zhang, Dr Seána Hogan, Kathy Young, Mary Therese McGrath, Dr David O’Connor, Dr Renee Malone, Dr Swarna Jaiswal, Dr Karen Casey, Dr Michael McAuley, Dr Denis O’Shea, Prof Christine O’Connor and Dr Louise Kearney.
School Executives: Dr Julie Dunne and Dr Gemma Kinsella.
Professional Services: Jill Barrett (Career Development Centre) and Scott Ahearn (Counselling Service).
Student & Alumni Representatives: Noelle McCabe, Simon Tee Carter, Rabica Javed and Laura Smith.

The team extends their gratitude to the Programme Advisory Panel, the National Association of Hospital Pharmacy Technicians (NAHPT), the European Association of Pharmacy Technicians (EAPT), and all their industry, community, and hospital partners for their ongoing support and collaboration.

Extending his congratulations to Dr Tao Zhang and the Pharmacy Technician Studies Programme team on receiving their third prestigious DELTA Award, Dr Ciarán O'Leary, Assistant Head of Academic Affairs and lead for Learning, Teaching and Assessment, praised the achievement as a testament to TU Dublin's leadership in science and health professions education.

“This recognition highlights TU Dublin’s deep commitment to advancing teaching excellence in ways that not only respond to evolving sector demands, but also anticipate them,” Dr O’Leary said, “The sustained success of the Pharmacy Technician Studies Programme provides an exemplary model of how academic teams can create lasting impact through evidence-based teaching and strategic professional partnerships”.