Gearóid McHugh

Master of Science in Leadership & Innovation in the Public Sector

Donegal – Letterkenny

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

Gearóid McHugh, Assistant Principal Officer, Climate Action & Capital Planning Unit, Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS)

Studied a Master of Science in Leadership & Innovation in the Public Sector

2. Can you share your career path to date?

2002-2004 Executive Officer, Civil Society Section, Department of Foreign Affairs

2004-2006 Deputy Passport Officer, Embassy of Ireland, London

2006-2014 Higher Executive Officer, Planning and Building Unit, Department of Education

2014-2023 Assistant Principal Officer, Planning and Building Unit, Department of Education

2023-2025 Assistant Principal Officer, Climate Action & Capital Planning Unit, DFHERIS

3. What does your current role involve?

Advancing capital planning and strategic approval for infrastructure projects under the National Development Plan (NDP) and feeding into the strategic approach to sectoral decarbonisation and DFHERIS’s contribution to the achievement of national climate action targets.

4. What motivated you to start studying?

I saw it as an excellent opportunity to continue my professional development, harness leadership skills and foster innovation in the workplace.

5. Why did you choose this course from ATU?

The course was recommended to me by a colleague and it seemed tailor made for my work. I enquired and was subsequently nominated by my Principal Officer and Assistant Secretary General to HR Unit.

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

Studying online was surprisingly easy. The library facilities provided by ATU and Ulster University were excellent and I found the Blackboard portal relatively easy to use. The main challenge centred around prioritising what to read, due to the vast literature in the area of leadership. Library functions helped with this.

7. How did you balance work and study?

Study had to take a back seat at periods of high pressure in work. I was able to avail of study leave at critical points close to the submission date of many modules and my final dissertation, which was critical in achieving my goals. I also have a young family, so the norm was that my study occurred in the late evenings and some weekends.

8. 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?

My employer funded this course of study and allowed for 15 days study leave over the two years, without which it may not have been possible to complete the course. I centred my final dissertation around action learning approaches to address our sector’s decarbonisation strategy, so this element of the course was particularly relevant to my employer. I also conducted action learning sessions with the Capital Unit and did team role analysis sessions, so I believe I have, at least partially, demonstrated that the investment in me was worthwhile.

9. What advice would you have for anyone considering studying online?

With the full support of your employer and your family, it is possible to achieve all of your goals. It helps to have good collaboration and communication with your study cohort also.

10. In what way has studying online with ATU benefitted your career?

It has transformed my leadership capability through increased knowledge and awareness of pertinent issues in the public sector.

11. Did this course provide any unexpected benefits to your career?

I believe I am a more effective leader, better positioned to assume more leadership responsibilities. The action learning element of my dissertation has led me down the path of being an action learning facilitator in my organisation, adding a further feather to my leadership cap.

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

Absolutely, and I have already to implement some of those elements in my engagement with the Capital Unit.

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

I have an increased ability to prioritise key material, organise my time effectively, examine and carry out research. It has thought me to be more curious about subtleties at play in the public service and I now have a greater understanding of transformational leadership, change management and citizen centric policy and the growing need for it.