MTU Student Engagement

Calling All 1^st Year Lecturers

The following are some key messages around academic induction that might complement information you’ll be giving when addressing a first year group. These points are simply to complement and support your work, outline expectations to students while also delivering a positive and affirming message.

key messages to New students

Welcome to MTU! Congratulations on earning your place! We’re delighted you have joined us.

MTU is a great place to study, offering opportunities from level 7 to level 10 (PhD). We are known for our high academic and technical standards, and we encourage you to soak it all up and make the most of all the new opportunities that await you!

MTU represents a new phase and a fresh start for you, no matter what your education background and experience. You will be busy, however, so remember to make a conscious effort to get off to a good start. After all, a good start is half the work!

What we expect of you:

Being a university student is demanding. We are ambitious for you, and we want you to expect a lot of yourself. We are also committed to supporting your ambition, however.

As you adapt to university life, be aware that you are surrounded by people who want you to succeed, and make sure to reach out if you need any guidance or assistance.

It may take some time to get used to your new surroundings, your new routine, and the new environment. Give yourself time and space to adjust because you owe it to yourself to give yourself the best possible chance to do well at MTU! 

It may take some time to get used to your new surroundings, your new routine, and the new environment. Give yourself time and space to adjust because you owe it to yourself to give yourself the best possible chance to do well at MTU! 

Take some time to familiarise yourself with the many resources MTU offers. These include wellbeing, health, academic and social resources, and they are here to support you and your learning, so contact and make use of them as and when you need them.

With the support of your lecturers, your department, your peers, and the many additional resources MTU offers, you now have a chance to step up to university and take advantage of a fantastic opportunity. 

We know you can do it!

Eight important pointers for university

1. It’s time for a fresh start! Whatever your path to university has been, starting your course at MTU represents a new beginning. Realise your ambition by learning from your past experiences but making a fresh start! Keep in mind that university study is always a challenge and will require hard work to achieve the outcomes you want for yourself!
2. At university, you are in charge of yourself. Getting to class and submitting your work in full and on time are your responsibility. You are also expected to keep on top of your work outside of class time. If you find that you need support, many options are available to you, but you need to take the first step by getting in touch with the relevant person or office. After all, you are now in charge of your own learning!
3. Learning at university is different. Learning happens quickly and lots of material is covered in every lecture. This makes it very important to keep on top of your learning outside of class and to follow up on any issues you need to address. Some of the core skills you’ll need for this include notetaking, time management and study planning. If you feel that you would benefit from working on these skills, just get in touch with AnSEO’s Academic Learning Centre!
4. You will need to use your student email. MTU will communicate with you about all kinds of important matters using your myCIT or myMTU email address. You’ll also find lots of useful information and reminders landing in your email inbox throughout the academic year. For this reason, it’s really important that you check it daily. You also need your email address to communicate with your lecturers. For instance, you might need to let a lecturer know that you can’t make it to class due to illness or to submit a sick cert for any time you might miss.
5. Canvas is key! Canvas is where lecturers can share lecture notes, extra learning resources, assignments, and important announcements with you. For this reason, it’s very important to familiarise yourself with Canvas asap. We would offer a word of advice on Canvas, though: if you download your lecture notes from Canvas and then don’t attend the lecture, you won’t be able to make sense of the material and you then won’t be best placed to succeed in your assignments and exams.
6. You will need to learn to manage your time actively. The rhythm of the university year is very different to what you experienced in your past study settings. Each semester is only 12 or 13 weeks in duration and so semesters fly by before you know it! Additionally, you can expect to be working on assignments from approximately week 5, so it’s critical that you manage your time and your studies effectively from week 1.
7. Your degree is a full-time commitment. If you are a full-time student on a full-time course, you need to allocate at least 40 hours each week to lectures, labs, extra study and assessment and exam preparation. Part-time work and your social life are important, but they shouldn’t interfere with your study and your academic success. Find a good balance by planning your time carefully!
8. Get involved in university life! Here at MTU, there is a broad selection of clubs and societies  for you to get involved in, so get involved! As well as being a great way to meet new people with similar interests, being active in extra-curricular activity can be an impressive addition to your CV. They can really help you to stand out from others when you enter the graduate job market.

Questions or concerns?

There are many sources of support available to you here at MTU.

Some helpful points of contacts include:

• Your lecturers.
• Your class coordinator.
• Free academic support from AnSEO’s Academic Learning Centre (ALC) team. You can find the ALC in room D259 in the main building on the Bishopstown campus. Just drop in with your query or drop us an email at AcademicLearning@mtu.ie.If you are unsure about where to get started with the ALC, book a 20-minute Academic Mentoring appointment.
• Student Engagement Associates (SEAs), who are all MTU students like you, are available at our Just Ask! desks. You will recognise them by their red hoodies so feel free to chat to them if you see them around campus!