Christine Kavanagh Nangle, Academic Head of Accounting at Technological University Dublin, captivated her audience at the Cirrus ‘Future-Proofing Education’ conference in Dublin with her insightful take on public-private partnerships in education, which offer a chance to rethink how we teach and assess.
Christine Nangle’s presentation on the pilot project with Cirrus demonstrated how collaboration can foster innovation and accessibility. The goal of this initiative was ambitious: deliver a curriculum that bridges national and global skills gaps while ensuring it’s available to everyone.
This partnership wasn’t just about academia meeting industry—it was a two-way exchange. Universities contributed their deep understanding of pedagogy, while industry partners brought practical expertise and an ability to adapt swiftly to change. For Cirrus, the project was an opportunity to showcase how technology can act as a unifying force, enabling seamless collaboration across disciplines and borders.
Bridging the academic and professional worlds
“Why would universities hand over teaching to someone else?” Christine asked during her presentation. The answer wasn’t about outsourcing; it was about partnership.
In fast-moving fields like FinTech, traditional academics don’t always cut it find it difficult to keep up with the pace of change. This project brought in industry experts from PAT Business School to balance academic insight with real-world know-how, giving students a learning experience that actually fits the world they’re stepping into. Universities focused on the academic side, while PAT made it more practical. Together with Cirrus’ technology, they helped students get ready for exams and the challenges they’ll face in their careers.
Key takeaways for educators:
- Partnerships with industry experts ensure students gain practical and career-ready skills.
- Balancing academic rigour with real-world applications enriches the student experience.
- Working together, academics and industry can help students get ready for fast-changing fields like FinTech.
What COVID taught us about access
The pandemic shook education to its core and taught some valuable lessons. One of the most striking is the increasing number of students who need accommodations and how traditional systems fail to address those needs.
“Something that we experienced during COVID was the number of students who need extra accommodations, which is rising yearly. The needs are different—some need individual rooms or a studio—and they are growing, it can be difficult ot meet the demand ,” Christine explained.
Cirrus and PAT helped the pilot adapt to this reality by enabling remote exams and customizable environments. Students who needed private rooms or couldn’t travel could participate in ways that worked for them. But technology alone wasn’t the solution. Human connection made the difference. “Knowing there’s someone there to take care of your students, picking up the phone when they’re in trouble… makes all the difference,” she added.
Key takeaways for educators:
- Addressing accessibility requires both technology and human support.
- Remote and customisable assessment environments can meet growing accommodation needs.
- Empathy and connection remain critical in creating an inclusive educational experience.
Rethinking exams
Exams have long been a dreaded part of the student journey. Crowded rooms, strict invigilators, and a tense atmosphere make this traditional model feel outdated and out of touch. Christine and her team set out to reimagine what assessments could look like. Using Cirrus, they created an environment that was digital, intuitive, and aligned with the real world. Instead of writing essays in silence, students tackled tasks that mimicked professional scenarios, like creating digital reports under time constraints.
“We wanted to make sure that we can distinguish students, evaluate their skills, and get the best out of the assessment environment,” Christine explained. The goal wasn’t just to test memory but to see how students could apply their knowledge when it mattered most.
Key takeaways for educators:
- Modern assessments should reflect real-world scenarios and professional expectations.
- Digital tools can reduce exam-related stress and enhance the assessment experience.
- Testing for applied knowledge, rather than memory, better prepares students for their careers.
Making assessments match reality
Christine challenged traditional methods with a powerful statement: “Let’s be honest, the pen doesn’t reflect the real world anymore.”
In the professional world, no one asks you to write an essay with a pen. You use tools, research, and resources to solve problems and make decisions. Cirrus allowed the team to embrace open-book assessments, where students could use the resources they’d rely on in real life. The focus shifted from memorisation to understanding, from regurgitating facts to applying skills.
“Open book is absolutely essential so that students understand and apply with whatever tools they have available at their workplace,” Christine said, but controlling it to avoid mass copy and paste is key.
Adding time-sensitive tasks further grounded the exams in reality. Students weren’t just answering questions; they were navigating challenges similar to what they’d encounter in their careers. This not only made the assessments more relevant but also helped prepare students for what comes next.
Key takeaways for educators:
- Open-book assessments better simulate real-world problem-solving.
- Focus on understanding and application, not rote memorisation.
- Time-sensitive tasks prepare students for workplace challenges.
Tackling the AI Dilemma
Introducing technology like AI into education comes with its own set of hurdles. Christine acknowledged the elephant in the room: “We had the challenges of AI, the challenge of ‘copy-and-paste.’ And we had to consider what is the candidate’s real work.”
The pilot used Cirrus to create an authentic assessment environment to address this. Exams were live and recorded, ensuring integrity while accommodating remote students. This setup allowed for flexibility without compromising trust.
Christine also highlighted the potential of AI to enhance education when used wisely. “AI will bring us speed, consistency over time, and even tackle some issues of bias,” she said. “The future is about the use of AI, and all we can do is embrace it.” The software allowed us to work in unison with technology with the power to turn on and off the tools we wanted the student to engage with.
Key takeaways for educators:
- Create authentic assessment environments to address AI-related challenges.
- Use AI responsibly to improve consistency and reduce grading bias.
- Embrace AI as a tool to enhance, not replace, human judgment in education.
The power of clear communication
The pilot’s success was due to great technology and the team’s communication with students. Christine praised her colleagues for making sure students were fully prepared, with access to tutorials, practice runs, and detailed guidance.
“I know that Orlagh and the team did a great job communicating all the information to the students well in advance,” Christine said. “They were given video tutorials, and access to the systems to get comfortable with them. The system was rigorously tested, and everyone was trained.”
Students embraced the platform, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. “You have to take the stress away by making sure students know what they’re going to see,” Christine emphasised.
Key takeaways for educators:
- Early and clear communication can ease the transition to new systems.
- Provide students with access to tutorials and practice sessions to build confidence.
- Test platforms rigorously and ensure staff and students are fully trained.
Human connection at the core
At its heart, this pilot was about more than technology or new approaches. It was about people. Christine reminded us of the human stories behind every exam: the student who studied all night, the parent juggling responsibilities, the staff making sure everything ran smoothly.
“There are real people behind those systems that do exams,” Christine said. “That person panicking in the morning of the exam who studied all night and wants to graduate and has a sick child—we want to think about all of those factors.”
This mindset informed every decision, from the design of the assessments to the support offered to students and staff alike. Even small gestures—like a phone call to reassure a panicked student—made a meaningful impact. For Cirrus, the message was clear: technology should enhance human connection, not replace it.
Key takeaways for educators
- Keep the human element central in all educational innovations.
- Small actions, like timely support, can make a big difference to students.
- Technology should enhance connection, not replace it.
Looking ahead
As the pilot wrapped up, Christine reflected on the road ahead. AI will undoubtedly play a bigger role, and while there’s apprehension, there’s also opportunity. Done right, AI can help educators deliver faster, fairer, and more insightful assessments.
“The relationship with PAT gives me an excellent opportunity to dig myself into AI and see what is working and what is not,” Christine said. The team demonstrated how education can adapt to meet new challenges without losing sight of its purpose by staying open to change and focusing on what truly benefits students.
Key takeaways for educators:
- Explore AI’s potential to deliver faster and fairer assessments.
- Use partnerships to stay informed about changing technology.
- Ensure that new tools always align with student-focused values.
