Connecting West Virginia and Ireland through education, research, and shared cultural heritage
Marshall University is leading the development of a transatlantic partnership connecting West Virginia and Ireland through education, research, and cultural exchange. What began in 2023 through collaboration initiated by Dr. Brian A. Hoey, Dean of the Honors College, with Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) in Ireland has grown into a broader framework linking students, faculty, and institutions across both regions.
Anchored in a faculty-led study abroad program and supported by the U.S. Department of State’s IDEAS Grant, the initiative advances student mobility, academic collaboration, and interdisciplinary engagement while expanding access to international experience for students in West Virginia. It also reflects Marshall University’s commitment to global engagement and builds on the deep cultural connections between Ireland and Appalachia.
Partnership Structure
The WV–Ireland initiative is built through sustained collaboration with partner institutions in Ireland. Marshall’s primary academic partner is Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT), located between Dublin and Belfast along the dynamic Dublin–Belfast economic corridor.
- Marshall University led by the Honors College and working with campus partners such as Global Education, provides academic leadership, program coordination, and interdisciplinary framing.
- BridgeValley Community and Technical College (BVCTC) participates as a study abroad consortium partner, expanding access to international experience for students who might not otherwise have opportunities to study abroad.
- Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) serves as Marshall’s primary academic partner in Ireland and hosts the Certificate in Cultural Landscapes: Newgrange and the Boyne Valley.
- Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) Beginning in late 2026, DkIT will operate as a University College within the framework of Queen’s University Belfast, linking the partnership to one of the leading research universities on the island of Ireland.
Partnership Timeline
- 2023 — Initial Academic Collaboration
A Marshall honors student completes coursework at Dundalk Institute of Technology while Dr. Hoey begins administrative and faculty discussions with DkIT to explore long-term collaboration between the institutions. - 2024 — IDEAS Grant and Program Development
Marshall University, through the Office of Global Education (Dr. Zeli Rivas as PI), receives support through the U.S. Department of State’s IDEAS Grant (Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students). Working with Dr. Hoey, this grant helps expand the emerging partnership with Dundalk Institute of Technology and supporting development of the study-abroad framework and consortium collaboration. - July 2024 — Marshall–DkIT Memorandum of Understanding Signed
Marshall University and Dundalk Institute of Technology formalize their emerging partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement, signed at a ceremony in Dundalk by Dr. Hoey on behalf of Marshall University and Dr. Diarmuid O’Callaghan, President of Dundalk Institute of Technology, establishes a framework for academic collaboration, student mobility, faculty exchange, and the development of joint educational initiatives. - May 2025 — Engagement with Irish Parliament
During a visit to Ireland, together with colleagues from DkIT and BridgeValley, Dr. Hoey meets with members of the West Virginia-Ireland Trade Commission and Irish Parliament (Oireachtas), including discussions in the Seanad Éireann, to explore opportunities to strengthen educational collaboration between Ireland and West Virginia and to highlight the emerging Marshall–BridgeValley–DkIT partnership. - May 2025 — First Full Student Cohort of the Study Abroad Consortium
Students from Marshall University and BridgeValley Community & Technical College participate in the Ireland program, marking the first full cohort of the consortium-based study-abroad initiative developed with Dundalk Institute of Technology. - October 2025 — Presentation to the West Virginia Legislature
Dr. Hoey presents the Marshall–BridgeValley–DkIT partnership to the West Virginia Legislature’s Joint Committee on Education, outlining the academic framework, student mobility model, and broader opportunities for West Virginia–Ireland collaboration. The theme of Dr. Hoey’s presentation of “Bridging Heritage and Innovation” has a significant impact on the committee. Hoey is joined by Jason Spencer from BVCTC; Patricia Moriarty, Head of School of Business & Humanities at DkIT; Annaleigh Margey, Head of the Department of Humanities at DkIT; and James G. Field, Associate Professor of Management at West Virginia University and member of the West Virginia–Ireland Trade Commission. The presentation outlined the academic framework, student mobility model, and broader opportunities for West Virginia–Ireland collaboration. - March 2026 — WV–Ireland Education Alliance Legislation
Following legislative discussions and continued engagement with policymakers, House Bill 4087 has created a West Virginia–Ireland Education Alliance designed to expand academic partnerships, student exchange, and collaborative research between institutions in West Virginia and Ireland. The bill was led by Delegate Michael Hornby and sponsored by Delegates Willis, Howell, and Linville. The bill was signed into law by West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey on St. Patrick’s Day, 17 March 2026. - 2026 — Expansion through the QUB–DkIT Partnership
Dundalk Institute of Technology becomes a University College within Queen’s University Belfast, creating the first cross-border “all-Ireland” higher-education partnership of its kind and opening new possibilities for academic collaboration.
Legislative and Parliamentary Engagement
The Marshall–BridgeValley partnership with Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) has developed through a series of academic, governmental, and institutional engagements connecting West Virginia and Ireland.
In May 2025, Dr. Hoey was invited to participate in meetings with the West Virginia-Ireland Trade Commission at the Irish Parliament (Oireachtas) in Dublin, including discussions with members of the Seanad Éireann on opportunities to strengthen educational and research connections between Ireland and Appalachia. These conversations highlighted the emerging collaboration between Marshall University, BridgeValley Community & Technical College, and Dundalk Institute of Technology and explored the broader potential for transatlantic partnerships linking education, workforce development, and shared cultural heritage.
Later that year, in October 2025, Dr. Hoey was invited to present before the West Virginia Legislature’s Joint Committee on Education. His presentation outlined the development of the Marshall–BridgeValley–DkIT collaboration beginning in 2023 and described how the partnership integrates place-based learning, student mobility, faculty collaboration, and applied research. Particular attention was given to the Certificate in Cultural Landscapes: Newgrange and the Boyne Valley program and the potential for expanded educational collaboration between institutions in West Virginia and Ireland. The subject of Hoey’s presentation on the opportunity to bridge both respect of heritage and the imperative of innovation (on both sides of the Atlantic) was particularly well-received. Read the presentation here.
Following the presentation and subsequent discussions with legislators and higher education leaders, interest grew in establishing a statewide framework to support and expand these types of collaborations. This effort led to the introduction of House Bill 4087 (2026), proposing the creation of a West Virginia–Ireland Education Alliance designed to support academic partnerships, student exchange, and collaborative research initiatives between institutions in West Virginia and Ireland.
The proposed alliance reflects and builds upon the model demonstrated through the Marshall–BridgeValley–DkIT partnership, recognizing the value of sustained institutional relationships, experiential learning opportunities for students, and the shared cultural and economic ties linking Appalachia and Ireland.
Ireland Study Abroad: Cultural Landscapes Program at Dundalk Institute of Technology
The first operational component of the WV–Ireland partnership is Marshall’s faculty‑led study abroad program in Ireland, which launched the initiative and continues to serve as its central student experience. Each year, students travel to Dundalk Institute of Technology to participate in the Certificate in Cultural Landscapes: Newgrange and the Boyne Valley, an intensive academic program exploring Ireland’s archaeological, historical, and cultural heritage. Students study the cultural landscapes of the Boyne Valley—one of Europe’s most important archaeological regions—while also reflecting on connections between Irish and Appalachian landscapes, identities, and communities.
The program is designed to be accessible to students across disciplines, including STEM, business, and the humanities, and intentionally includes students from both Marshall University and BridgeValley Community and Technical College.
Study Abroad Program Impact
Since its launch, the WV–Ireland partnership has begun to generate tangible academic and experiential outcomes for students in West Virginia.
- Student Cohorts: The program launched with a cohort of seventeen students in 2025, bringing together participants from Marshall University and BridgeValley Community and Technical College in a shared international learning experience. The program is designed to grow steadily in the coming years as the partnership expands.
- Accessible Study Abroad: The consortium model intentionally expands access to international education for students who might otherwise face barriers to studying abroad, including first‑generation, rural, and community college students.
- Interdisciplinary Participation: Students from a wide range of academic fields—including STEM disciplines, business, and the humanities—are able to participate because the program is designed to complement existing degree pathways.
- Academic Credential: While in Ireland, students complete the Certificate in Cultural Landscapes: Newgrange and the Boyne Valley at Dundalk Institute of Technology, earning internationally recognized academic credit while engaging directly with Ireland’s archaeological and cultural heritage landscapes.
Shared Cultural Heritage: Ireland and Appalachia
Why Ireland? Why Appalachia? Appalachia and Ireland share deep historical connections shaped by migration, landscape, and community traditions. By exploring these connections directly in Ireland, students gain a new perspective on their own region—seeing Appalachian culture not as isolated, but as part of a broader Atlantic world shaped by movement, exchange, and shared histories.
The partnership also reflects the deep historical and cultural connections between Ireland and Appalachia. Waves of migration from Ireland and Scotland to the Appalachian region shaped the music, storytelling traditions, language, and community life that remain central to Appalachian identity today.
By studying in Ireland, students gain new insight into these shared histories while also exploring how cultural traditions evolve across generations and landscapes. These connections allow students to see their own region in a global context and better understand how local identity is shaped through international histories of migration, exchange, and adaptation.
Why This Partnership Matters for West Virginia
The WV–Ireland partnership is designed not only as an academic initiative but also as a strategic opportunity for West Virginia. By building sustained educational connections with institutions in Ireland, the program helps position Marshall University and its partners within a broader transatlantic network of research, innovation, and workforce development. Barely more than two generations ago, Ireland was one of the poorest and least educated countries in Europe. It has since been transformed and has emerged as one of Europe’s most dynamic centers for technology, entrepreneurship, and international investment. Connecting West Virginia students and institutions to this environment creates opportunities for experiential learning, professional development, and future collaboration.
Ireland’s transformation into a major center of technology, entrepreneurship, and international investment makes it a particularly valuable partner for West Virginia students and institutions. At the same time, the historic ties between Ireland and Appalachia make this collaboration especially meaningful, linking global engagement with a deeper understanding of West Virginia’s own cultural heritage.
The Future of the Marshall University–Ireland Partnership
The Marshall University WV–Ireland initiative represents a growing academic partnership connecting West Virginia and Ireland through student exchange, study abroad, faculty collaboration, and research engagement. Working with institutions such as Dundalk Institute of Technology and Queen’s University Belfast, the initiative strengthens educational, cultural, and economic connections between West Virginia and Ireland while expanding international opportunities for students across the state.
The WV–Ireland partnership continues to grow as new collaborations emerge between Marshall University, institutions in Ireland, and partners across West Virginia. Future initiatives may include expanded study abroad opportunities, faculty research collaborations, interdisciplinary programs, and new pathways connecting students with Ireland’s rapidly developing innovation economy.
Through these efforts, the Honors College at Marshall University aims to serve as a bridge linking Appalachia and Ireland—two regions connected by history, culture, and a shared commitment to resilient communities and global engagement.
Press Releases
Marshall strengthens Ireland partnership, engages state delegates in Dublin
Marshall signs MOU with Dundalk Institute of Technology in Ireland
State Department IDEAS Program awards Marshall grant to build study abroad capacity
