New Course Embodies Integrated Research Principles

A new CE3 elective course for 4th year BSc students in Telecommunications Software began this term. The course is designed to channel the expertise of the TSSG into the undergraduate programme. The topics covered represent a solid foundation and the lab. work offers in-depth knowledge of fixed and mobile network architectures, IPv6, Communication Middleware, Next Generation IP Services and Communication Services. Students who successfully pass this elective will understand the diversity of communications services, be capable of distinguishing the key features of a converged network, be able to apply distributed systems patterns to service creation and construct innovative services operating on a converged network.

Research at Waterford Institute of Technology is relatively new and this freshness is recognised as a clear advantage, which does not tie them in to more traditional modes of operation and enables them to take a more innovative approach to integrating research in to the Institute’s mainstream activities. Committed to ensuring this successful integration of the research, teaching and the learning process, the Institute’s research policy supports the inculcation of a research-driven learning culture and a research-informed teaching approach throughout. This new Telecommunications Software course demonstrates this new approach.

Learning is regarded as a lifelong pursuit and the integration of research at both undergraduate and postgraduate level is key to the development of graduates for such an environment.

The Institute’s research policy also recognises the complementarities of research and scholarship; acknowledging the value of advanced pedagogic research and innovative creative work and scholarship. Research includes a number of innovative activities from basic research through to applied or near market research. Basic research deals with the acquisition of new knowledge while applied research is concerned with more practical and applicable objectives.