From academic quality to operational excellence, Lynda O’Neill ensures Portobello Institute adapts to its growing student body and future ambitions.
In the heart of Dublin’s city centre, nestled on Dominick Street, Portobello Institute is a growing third-level institution with ambitious plans for the future.
Lynda O’Neill is the institute’s Head of Quality and Operations and we meet in the student canteen.
It’s early morning, and as the campus prepares for the usual bustle of students heading to class, we take advantage of the calm to discuss her role in ensuring the Institute’s academic and operational excellence.
Her role isn’t just about keeping things running smoothly; it's about guiding Portobello Institute through the challenges of expansion while staying true to its mission of accessible education.
I take notice of the funky artwork sprawled across the walls, clearly a work in progress. O’Neill catches my gaze and explains.
“I organised a local street artist to brighten up the student canteen with floor-to-ceiling murals. We’re very excited to see the finished work. It’s part of our commitment to being involved in the local community," she said.
As an inner-city college, Portobello Institute ensures that its students are connected to the talents and skills within their surrounding community. She explains more about what her role entails.
“The quality and the operations are two separate roles, really.
“The quality aspect of it relates to policies and procedures around the provision of teaching and academic support, along with the delivery of our programmes… I spend a lot of my time knee-deep in paperwork!
“The operations side is more about the facilities and the environment that we provide to our students and staff. I like the variety; no two days are the same," she said.
We discuss how her role influences the courses taught at Portobello Institute.
“On the academic side, one of my main focuses is on our relationships with our university partners, all of whom are based in the UK. We deliver undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in a range of disciplines, from early years education, fashion, facilities management, sports therapy, and health sciences (including our recently launched MSc in Physiotherapy).
"We have six partners who accredit the programmes that we run, and it’s important to keep on top of emerging trends within the education sector to ensure that we are providing our students with the best programmes we can. My role is to ensure that what we provide to our students adheres to our university partners' requirements.
“On the operational side, although not all of our students come into the college on a regular basis, as many of our programmes are delivered via blended learning. It’s still really important to ensure that everything is in place for them when they come in and that the resources are up to spec," she said.
She reveals Portobello’s plans to expand their campus in the future.
“Numbers on our courses are growing year on year. It’s a requirement on the quality side that the facilities have to meet the prescribed standards, so that’s where quality assurance and operational standards join forces," she said.
We continue our gaze further into the future for Portobello Institute. Lynda is particularly excited about the Institute’s broadening academic offerings.
“Portobello’s mission is making education accessible to everyone. So with that in mind, we will continue to improve and expand the provision of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes to people who may not necessarily enter academia through traditional routes.
"We are already in negotiations with two more university partners, with whom we can provide a wider range of programmes, which hopefully, in turn, will fill some of the gaps within the education sector in Ireland at the moment," she said.
As the chatter of students begins to fill the canteen, it’s clear that Lynda's dedication to quality and smooth operations is setting the stage for a more inclusive and supportive experience for both current and future students at Portobello Institute.
Read More: Lee Van Haeften – Lecturer in MSc Physiotherapy & Sports and Exercise Rehabilitation
