Technological Universities Association Appoints Claire McGee as Inaugural CEO
The Technological Universities Association (TUA) has announced the appointment of Claire McGee as its first Chief Executive Officer. A prominent leader in national policy and higher education, McGee joins TUA from the Law Society of Ireland, where she served as Head of Public Policy. She previously held the role of Head of Education and Innovation Policy at Ibec, Ireland’s largest business representative organisation.
Her appointment marks a significant milestone for Ireland’s higher education landscape. As the inaugural CEO, McGee will lead the strategic direction of the association, representing Ireland’s technological universities and institutes of technology while advancing the sector’s mission to deliver world-class education, research and regional development.
During her tenure at Ibec, McGee played a leading role in shaping Ireland’s skills agenda and strengthening collaboration between industry and academia. Her expertise in innovation policy and deep understanding of the evolving needs of the Irish economy position her strongly to lead the next phase of development for the technological university sector.
Commenting on her appointment, McGee said:
I am honoured to take on the role of inaugural CEO of the Technological Universities Association at such a transformative time for our sector. Ireland’s technological universities are the engine rooms of regional growth and social mobility. By connecting with industry across the regions and deepening engagement between enterprise and education, we can unlock the full potential of the TU sector to help Ireland realise its ambitions.
Technological Universities are uniquely placed to serve Ireland through a disruptive and agile approach to higher education. The sector is building on the strong impact it has already demonstrated, characterised by high student employability rates. My focus will be on ensuring our members have a powerful, unified voice to champion the value they bring to students, industry and society. I look forward to working closely with our member universities, government partners, industry and stakeholders to build a future-ready higher education ecosystem.
Welcoming the appointment, Interim Chair of TUA, Vincent Cunnane, said:
I would like to extend a heartfelt congratulations to Claire on her appointment as CEO of the Technological Universities Association. Her appointment reflects the depth of ambition that exists within the sector and its role as a professional advocacy body.
Claire brings a wealth of experience from her time at Ibec leading education and innovation policy, as well as her work representing the Law Society of Ireland as Head of Public Policy. Her knowledge of the policy landscape and proven track record in bridging the gap between education and enterprise will be invaluable. We are delighted to have a leader of her calibre guiding our collective efforts to ensure the sector remains at the forefront of Ireland’s economic and social development.