Dundalk IT teams up with HSE to launch digital health showcase

Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) launched the Innovative Healthcare Showcase on the 6th of May 2025, an event focused on digital health innovation, in the presence of healthcare leaders, researchers, and industry professionals from across the country.

Welcoming attendees, President of DkIT, Diarmuid O’Callaghan, opened the event by acknowledging the strategic importance of partnerships in driving transformation in Ireland’s healthcare system. Special recognition was given to the HSE Technology and Transformation team, with whom DkIT has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

“This MoU is more than a document. It represents a shared vision to connect education, research, and innovation with the real-world needs of Ireland’s healthcare system.” said President O’Callaghan.

Hosted at the DkIT campus, the event highlighted the long-standing legacy and leadership of the DkIT Regional Development Centre (RDC) – Ireland’s first innovation centre based on a higher education campus. Now in its 35th year, the RDC is a national leader in digital health innovation, driving major initiatives such as the Connected Health and Wellbeing Cluster, dConnect, and DigiBio.

Fran Thompson, Chief Information Officer, HSE added, “This agreement reflects our belief that meaningful transformation comes through collaboration. Working with DkIT allows us to share real-world insights with students while also gaining fresh perspectives through research and innovation.  It’s a win-win for HSE Technology and Transformation and the wider system.” 

Speaking after the event, Aidan Browne, Head of Innovation and Business Development, Regional Development Centre, DkIT, said, “These initiatives exemplify DkIT’s role in building a thriving digital health ecosystem, supporting enterprise growth, and leveraging pioneering campus-based research. The collaborations fostered by the RDC have positioned the Institute as a key player in both national and international healthcare innovation networks.”

The showcase event focused on addressing opportunities and challenges in the innovation and commercialisation of Digital Health, encouraging dialogue and cooperation between academia, industry, and public sector stakeholders.

“This MoU builds upon the relationship that the HSE Technology and Transformation team have developed with DkIT over the past two years, especially in relation to their support of the EIT Health I-Days Student Digital Health Challenge. It’s great to have them as one of the seventy-five Cluster members working together to improve the Irish Healthcare system via innovation and technology,” according to Breanndán Casey, the Education & Outreach Manager of the Connected Health & Wellbeing Cluster.

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Finally, President O’Callaghan concluded, “This collaboration with the HSE is a significant step forward in how we prepare our graduates for careers that can truly make a difference. It ensures our students are not only technically skilled but also understand the vital role digital solutions play in delivering better health outcomes.  We are proud to be working alongside the HSE to build a workforce that’s ready for the challenges of modern healthcare.”