National College of Ireland (NCI)

Ireland

Inclusive. Learner-centred. Responsive

National College of Ireland is a state-funded higher education institution based in Dublin’s International Financial Services Centre. We provide undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education in business, computing, psychology and education, with a strong emphasis on access, inclusion and industry engagement. Founded to widen participation in learning, we remain focused on practical, career-relevant programmes, close links with employers, and supporting diverse learners to progress, upskill and contribute meaningfully to society and the economy.

Our contribution

for the Grow Well project

“National College of Ireland contributes to GrowWell as the project’s academic and digital innovation partner. Drawing on expertise from the Cloud Competency Centre and the Psychology department, NCI leads research-informed design of digital learning environments and AI-enhanced tools that underpin the SEL toolkit. It supports the definition of SEL themes, contributes to the development of digital resources, and designs training frameworks that upskill educators in ethical and effective use of digital and AI tools.

NCI also strengthens quality assurance, evaluation, and evidence-based integration of socio-emotional learning into teacher professional development. By aligning digital pedagogy with well-being research and European digital education priorities, NCI ensures that GrowWell delivers scalable, sustainable, and research-grounded outcomes across partner countries .

Our mission

GrowWell exemplifies interdisciplinary collaboration at National College of Ireland, where computing and psychology converge to support positive learning environments. It reinforces NCI’s role in advancing digital transformation that is ethical, inclusive, and centred on human well-being.

NCI engages in GrowWell because the project aligns with its strategic focus on digital innovation, research-led education, and societal impact. GrowWell addresses pressing European priorities by strengthening socio-emotional learning (SEL), enhancing educator digital competence, and supporting mental well-being through structured, scalable digital tools .

For NCI’s Cloud Competency Centre, the project represents a practical application of AI-enhanced learning, cloud-based platforms, and secure digital infrastructure to create accessible and sustainable SEL resources across partner countries. It demonstrates how advanced computing can underpin inclusive, well-being-centred education at scale.

For NCI’s Psychology department, GrowWell provides a framework to embed evidence-based approaches to resilience, emotional regulation, and behavioural engagement within digital learning design. Together, computing and psychology expertise ensure that the project’s outputs are both technically robust and grounded in sound well-being research, reinforcing NCI’s interdisciplinary contribution to positive learning environments.