Supporting students all the way

Philip Connolly, Director of Services with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) tells eolas Magazine how SUSI is evolving through a period of sustainability and future proofing and outlines its five-year strategic plan which places the student at its core.

SUSI is Ireland’s national awarding authority for further and higher education grants. A business unit of City of Dublin ETB, SUSI administers student funding in line with legislation set out by the Department for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) in the Student Support Act 2011 and annual Student Grant Schemes and Student Support Regulations.

Established in 2012 to replace 66 regional awarding authorities, SUSI created for the first time a single, centralised awarding authority for student funding in Ireland. SUSI’s mission is to empower students to transform their lives through tertiary education and between 2012 and 2024, SUSI processed over 1.26 million applications, awarded over 960,000 grants to students and paid almost €3.8 billion in funding.

In recent years, as well as implementing the most legislative changes in over a decade, SUSI’s remit expanded beyond the Student Grant Scheme. In 2024 the Student Part-Time Fee Scheme for Specified Undergraduate Courses was launched providing, for the first time, funding for students studying part-time. SUSI administers the PLC Bursary for Displaced Persons Ukraine Scheme and the International Protection Student Scheme. In addition, SUSI provides assistance to the higher education institutions in delivering the 1916 Bursary and processes applications for funding for tertiary education programmes. SUSI is also the paying authority for DFHERIS scholarships and bursaries including the All-Ireland Scholarship.

“We are committed to delivering continuous service improvements to our students,” says Connolly. “Over the last 12 years, we have enhanced our service by developing an online application portal, creating a centralised system for the swift and consistent assessment of grant applications, launching new and responsive communications channels and implementing a scalable workflow model that reflects the seasonal nature of the application process.”

He continues: “We are now moving to a period of sustainability and future proofing. We aspire to be a leading public service which places the customer at the centre of everything we do through building an agile organisation and harnessing cutting-edge digital systems. To support this and falling under the wider City of Dublin ETB strategic plan, we have developed a five-year strategic plan specific to the remit of SUSI as a grant awarding authority.”

Built upon the foundation of being a data driven organisation, SUSI’s strategy is anchored in three pillars. “Each pillar is underpinned by a set of strategic goals which form the bridge between the pillars and a set of practical initiatives that result in the organisation’s annual business plan,” adds Connolly.

Pillar one | Student and customer focused

SUSI aims to always respond to student and customer needs.

• Goal one – Further develop SUSI as a student and customer centred organisation: This goal will be achieved by embedding a customer service mindset within the organisation; considering the customer in everything SUSI does and taking the organisation from customer service to customer experience.
• Goal two – Understand our customer: This goal will be realised by engaging with customers to understand their needs and track their sentiment and satisfaction with SUSI services. Mapping customer journeys and identifying barriers to customer engagement will further drive this goal.
• Goal three – Create an excellent customer experience: Delivering transparent, proactive two-way communications; using digital channels and solutions; making the application process as easy as possible and creating a consistent experience no matter where the customer meets the organisation will support this goal.

Pillar two | A leading digital public service

To further enhance the service, SUSI aims to leverage digital technology to proactively lead the continuing advances required across its processes at a time of change and development.

• Goal one – Become a digital by default organisation: While ensuring services are delivered in an equitable, inclusive and sustainable manner, this goal will be achieved by delivering digital processes for all aspects of service provision as well as using digital to improve the experience for those engaging with the service offline when needed.
• Goal two – Digital transformation: To be achieved by implementing interoperable and scalable technology based solutions; adopting a set of architecture principles as a set of building blocks that compose of technology, data, security and governance; designing and building systems that are aligned with best practice in security and cyber defence and investing in integrated and scalable digital infrastructure
• Goal three – Harness data effectively: This will be accomplished by recognising data as a key strategic asset; safeguarding and growing data sharing partnerships and protecting data.

Pillar three | A model public service organisation

SUSI aims to fully engage its staff to ensure an agile and model public service workplace.

• Goal one – Design an optimal organisation: This will be achieved by promoting mobility, progression and role clarity.
• Goal two – Create a model workplace: This will be achieved through workplace innovation, a focus on diversity, inclusion and accessibility and professional development.
• Goal three – Create a vibrant and well-defined culture: This will be achieved by fostering positive workplace relations, identifying organisation values and further building interdepartmental communications.

Progress on the goals and initiatives outlined in the strategy will be reviewed and monitored at scheduled intervals throughout its lifetime.

Connolly concludes: “Our commitment to our students is stronger than ever. Work has already begun across all three strategic pillars and we look forward to building on this further in the years to come.”

Student Support Desk
T: 0818 888 777
E: support@susi.ie
W: www.susi.ie