Emma Francis

Management and Leadership

Donegal – Letterkenny

Can you tell us your name, job title and the course you studied at ATU?

1. Dr Emma Francis
2. National Programmes Coordinator
3. Cert. in Management and Leadership

Can you share your career path to date?

My career to date has covered scientific research, industry consultancy and higher education strategy. After completing a PhD at Trinity College Dublin, I focused on biomaterials research. Over time, I became increasingly interested in the wider systems shaping research and education, leading me to roles in the higher education sector on national and EU-funded initiatives in skills development and lifelong learning. This combination of research expertise, policy work and enterprise engagement has brought me to my current role as National Programmes Coordinator here at ATU.

What does your current role involve?

As National Programmes Coordinator, I support the management, oversight and institutional coordination of all national research funding programmes. My role involves guiding researchers through complex funding processes, strengthening compliance and governance and working closely with internal and external stakeholders to support research development across the university.

What motivated you to start studying?

As my responsibilities grew and my work became increasingly strategic, I wanted to strengthen my formal leadership skills. I had undertaken training in project management and data analytics, but I felt that a deeper grounding in organisational behaviour and people management would support me in working across large, multi-stakeholder environments.

Why did you choose this course from ATU?

ATU has a good reputation for flexible, practice-based learning and the Cert. in Management and Leadership offered a blend of applied theory and practical tools I could bring directly into my role.

How did you find the process of studying online? What elements did you find helpful? Were there elements you found challenging?

I found the online learning experience positive. The structured sessions, accessible recorded materials on Blackboard and clear assessment guidelines were user friendly. The main challenge for me was balancing the time commitment with a demanding day-time role.

How did you balance work and study?

I made good use of recorded lectures when work became busier. Planning and breaking assignments into smaller tasks helped, as did being honest with myself about what each week allowed.

In terms of your employer, were they supportive of your decision to study? Were there elements of the course that were particularly relevant to your current employer?

Yes, my employer was supportive. The course’s focus on leadership and organisational decision-making directly reinforced the skills needed in my role.

What advice would you have for anyone considering studying online?

It definitely strengthened my confidence and gave me a solid theoretical foundation which I think have complemented my day-to-day practical skillset. It has improved how I approach collaboration, teamwork and overall decision-making.

Did you find that the elements you were studying had practical relevance in your day-to-day role?

I found much of the content aligned quite well onto my day-to-day responsibilities, it allowed me to understand the context quite quickly and implement the learning to the operational environment, which in turn further developed my longer-term understanding.

What were the key skills you took away from your time studying at ATU?

Personally, I think the main skills were strategic and reflective leadership, effective communication, stakeholder and team management, problem-solving and understanding organisational behaviour. The courses reinforced my ability to lead confidently in complex, cross-institutional environments.