WREN Graduation

16 October, 2018

The graduation of 26 female entrepreneurs, participants of the Women’s Rural Entrepreneurship Network (WREN) programme, took place at Cork Institute of Technology on October 16, 2018.

The evening, organised by the Hincks Centre Team (academic lead for WREN) was held in the spacious and modern Tourism and Hospitality Building at the centre of the Bishopstown Campus.

Mr Gerard O’Donovan, Head of the Faculty of Business and Humanities, opened the ceremony highlighting the great achievement of the graduands and their innovative business ideas developed during the programme. This was followed by the formal presentation of parchments by Dr Áine Ní Shé, Registrar and Vice President of Academic Affairs.

The four module programme, run over two semesters, is an accredited (20 ECTS credits) Special Purpose Award in Enterprise Development.

The WREN programme aims to support those women who have business ideas and/or want to become self-employed or who are at the early stage of business development. WREN give participants the opportunity to complete a level 6 certificate in Enterprise Development from CIT.

Commenting at the graduation, Dr Helen McGuirk, Head of CIT’s Hincks Centre for Entrepreneurship Excellence, said the commitment and hard work by the participants is testament to the great interest in education and entrepreneurship in rural communities.

The project is organised by SECAD in partnership with Ballyhoura Development and CIT’s Rubicon Centre. It is funded by Department of Justice and Equality and the European Social Fund as part of PEIL 2014-2020. The WREN programme is a two-year project aimed at promoting entrepreneurial skills among women in Cork and Limerick rural areas. The programme is delivered by tutors from the highly regarded Rubicon Centre, one of Ireland’s largest on campus business incubation centre, in partnership with SECAD (South and East Cork Area Development), Ballyhoura Development in Limerick and the Hincks Centre (academic partner).

For further information on entrepreneurship at CIT, contact us at hincks@cit.ie