Helen is Head, Faculty of Education & Lifelong Learning, South East Technological University.
Helen is a graduate of University of Limerick (BA European Studies & Law), University College Dublin (Masters in Business Administration) and University College Cork (PhD Education) and has worked in Higher Education for over 20 years. She has held a number of roles in SETU since joining Waterford Institute of Technology in 2005.
As Head of Faculty, Helen is responsible for strategic and academic leadership across academic departments (Education and Lifelong Learning), CALMAST (the national Stem Education Centre) and the SETU Music School. She is the university representative for the South East Regional Skills Forum and a member of ESREA (European Society for Research into Adult Education), EUCEN (European University Continuing Education Network), HELLIN, the Higher Education Ireland Lifelong Learning Network and the Higher Education Ireland, Further Education Forum, a national network in Ireland supporting the professional development of adult and further education teachers.
Helen's research interests are in the field of education policy specifically relating to lifelong learning and adult education. Helen has been Principal Investigator on a number of funded large-scale research projects including; Exploring RPL for Lifelong Learning (HEA), Orientating low-skilled adults to learning (CITO - Erasmus+), Development of a Framework for Micro-credentials (European Universities EU-CONEXUS). She currently sits on the Editorial Board of The Adult Learner (Aontas, Dublin).
