A strong partnership between the universities and industry ensures that the course curricula are constantly aligned to industry developments. Thus, the lrish qualifications are very relevant to industry demands and graduates can begin their careers on completion of their studies. Frequently, multi-national companies in the IT and pharmaceutical industries are among the many research partners of the universities.

Ireland has made significant contributions to engineering and computer science. Pioneers such as George Boole developed mathematical principles of logical analysis called Boolean Algebra which was found 100 years after its development to be fundamental in simplifying computer circuits and electronic chips. Peter Rice was a world famous engineer who won considerable acclaim for his innovative contributions to buildings such as the Sydney Opera House, the Pompidou Centre and the great glass pyramid in the Louvre