Cork Views: Making MTU a great place to learn

Mon, 03 Nov, 2025 - 07:18

The People and Culture role is a first for MTU - its first Executive-level appointment focused primarily on people and culture. Dr Fenton describes a deep enthusiasm for the opportunity ahead.

“My work will focus on Human Resources, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI), Transformation, and Staff and Organisational Development through the team working in these areas.

“While it’s early days in my new role, I’m developing a focus on the concept of Employee Experience. Experience is a great model for understanding an organisation-think Customer Experience, where the emphasis is on meaningful and memorable relationships.

“A people-focused organisation must ask how we make life easier in every respect. I am hugely interested in Universal Design, designing things so everyone, regardless of age, ability, or background, can access and use them equally and fairly.

“Simply, as VP for People and Culture, the question I must answer is: ‘How do I make this work for everyone here?’ I am delighted by the advances in EDI. I grew up in the ’90s with no LGBT role models. Even in Higher Education, there are relatively few to draw upon. I hope to exhibit the values that encourage and support others from minority groups to lead.”

From his early days as Head of Marketing and International Business Development at Cork Institute of Technology to his current role at MTU, Dr Fenton brings extensive experience in leading people through change, emphasising that clarity is essential.

“Most people strive for certainty and can thrive within it. But where certainty is unattainable, leaders must be clear about what is known and unknown, possible and impossible, negotiable and non-negotiable.

Dr Pio Fenton, newly appointed Vice President (VP) for People & Culture at Munster Technological University (MTU)

“Mergers bring together different ways of working and thinking, and the focus now is uniting people under one culture. I see culture as constantly evolving. The moment of MTU’s merger was a culture-altering experience, but the process is more nuanced. The people, processes and systems are the culture and at a time of change, then these naturally change.

“More so though, the culture they contribute to can be shaped - we are not passengers in that process. I like to think that we should more proactively acknowledge this too.

“On a less theoretical level, the experience in MTU has been about bringing people together despite geographical distance. The macro culture is a function of the micro moments. Looking people in the eye builds trust, engagement, and a shared sense of purpose. The best culture arises when people meet authentically and with purpose,” he said.

Reflecting on past experiences and their influence on his leadership philosophy, Dr Fenton noted how Higher Education adapts to meet societal needs.

“As a lecturer in 2008, we faced the shock of economic crisis. We felt a responsibility to react and be a totem of hope, expecting colleagues to be change-minded despite dwindling resources. That experience shaped my philosophy: underpin all we do by asking how we serve those who need us.

“Fast-forward to the Covid pandemic -change of a different type, sharper in its impact. We accomplished in a week what might have taken years, such as pivoting to online classes. It showed me we can respond to opportunity with the same fervour as we do to crisis. In summary, it’s about not waiting for change but driving it.”

Highlighting MTU’s ongoing evolution, Dr Fenton said: “Some promise of the Technological Sector has been realised in its very formation, but so much opportunity remains. We are part of a distinctive phase of Higher Education in Ireland, at a time when we must reevaluate what we do.

“Innovations in AI will fundamentally change Higher Education, prompting universities to rethink what it means to be a student. I foresee a more personalised, bespoke learning experience where the role of the university is more focused on shepherding learning, rather than delivering ‘content’. The role of the university thereby may become a much more coaching/mentoring oriented environment.

“To meet this, the Technological University (TU) sector needs borrowing frameworks aligned with our renewed mission, we need the credibility that emanates from being able to appoint professorships in the TU sector so that we can stand the test of international scrutiny and we need the open-mindedness of all stakeholders to ensure that we do not unnecessarily limit ourselves,” Dr Fenton stated.

Distributed Leadership has been central to MTU’s success.

“Much of our development arises from individuals or groups initiating projects - whether pioneering research, creating new programmes, or innovating pedagogy. It’s a beautiful thing to see endeavour that stems from autonomy rather than diktat.

“Distributed Leadership is the ultimate vehicle for autonomy and innovation, supported by trust at the top. That helps enormously in the case of MTU.”

Looking to the future, Dr Fenton said: “I can think of few environments where the scope to be fulfilling is as high. I am a great advocate of Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan) with its focus on autonomy, mastery, and purpose.

“Higher Education institutes offer unique autonomy-not just Academic Freedom, but across technical and administrative staff. Mastery is valued too, and while there is more work to do, there is genuine recognition that developing our skills is important.

“The most critical piece is linking culture and purpose. MTU has about 18,000 students, all at pivotal points in life. It’s easy to connect our work to their outcomes, often life-changing. I want MTU to remain a place that keeps learners in mind and where we are proud of the work we do.”